• What Happened: Former CNN anchor Don Lemon told the Pod Save America podcast he has thought about running for president, saying "I think I could be President of the United States. I could definitely run this country better than Donald Trump."
  • Why It Matters: Lemon is currently facing federal charges for his role in an anti-ICE church protest, is registered as an independent, and was fired by CNN in 2023. He said he would need a sign from God before officially running.
  • Bottom Line: The man CNN fired for misconduct is now waiting on divine intervention to launch his presidential campaign. Democrats are in great shape.

Don Lemon knew exactly what he was doing when he said it. "I know people are going to think I'm crazy," he told Pod Save America on Sunday. "This is going to be the headline, and people are going to laugh about it."

He was right on all three counts.

The former CNN anchor, who was fired from the network in April 2023 following allegations of misconduct and now hosts a YouTube channel with 1.25 million subscribers, told guest host Alex Wagner that a presidential run is not out of the question.

"Do I ever think about it? Yes. Could it happen? Yeah, it could happen if the opportunity presented itself, the right opportunity presented itself," Lemon said. "I think I could be President of the United States. I could definitely run this country better than Donald Trump."

He followed up with Fox News Digital to make sure the message landed. "As a child, my parents taught me I could be and do anything I wanted, and I believed them. As a person of faith, I'd have to first consult with my creator about that. If she gives me a sign, and so do the people, then it's game on. Somebody has to fix all of the s--- Donald Trump f---ed up."

There are a few logistical hurdles standing between Don Lemon and the Oval Office. He is currently registered as an independent and would need to switch to Democrat to run. He is also currently facing federal charges for conspiracy to deprive religious freedom rights and a violation of the FACE Act, stemming from his role in an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church in January. He has pleaded not guilty and says he was there as a journalist.

Lemon acknowledged he is not running anytime soon, citing the personal toll a campaign would take and arguing that the rules are different for minority candidates. "White male candidates get away with far more," he said. He also admitted a campaign would likely "ruin" his life.

He compared himself to Barack Obama as evidence that unconventional candidates can break through, then walked it back almost immediately. "I don't have an aspiration to become president," he said, "but I do think that I could run this country a lot better than Donald Trump."

In his own words, on his own self-assessment of what a Lemon presidency would look like: "I've been in the game for so long. I could come in and fix the bulk of their problems, lickety-split in no time flat."

Trump, for his part, has previously called Lemon "a loser" and "a lightweight." Lemon has called Trump "a vile, sorry, unmitigated waste of human flesh."

The 2028 Democratic primary is shaping up nicely.