Don Lemon Calls for Press Dignity Amid President Trump’s Media Attacks

Independent journalist Don Lemon used his podcast “The Don Lemon Show” to urge members of the Washington press corps to “have some dignity and a backbone” when confronting President Donald Trump’s insults. He specifically referenced White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, urging reporters not to let her “call on the next person when you’re not finishing your question” and to defend colleagues facing personal attacks.

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During the three-month U.S.–Israeli conflict in Iran, Trump intensified criticism of major outlets, labeling The New York Times “seditious” and dismissing CNN as “stupid.” He also launched a “media bias” tracker that catalogued news stories the administration deemed offensive. Earlier, aboard Air Force One, Trump called Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey “Quiet, piggy” after she questioned his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, and he repeatedly used derogatory language toward women of color who asked him questions.

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• Don Lemon – Independent journalist, former CNN anchor, host of “The Don Lemon Show.”

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• Donald Trump – President of the United States, author of the insults and the “media bias” tracker.

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• Karoline Leavitt – White House press secretary, cited by Lemon as a target of aggressive questioning.

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• Stephen Colbert – Former “Late Show” host, praised by Lemon for “telling the truth on purpose.”

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• Catherine Lucey – Bloomberg journalist who received the “Quiet, piggy” remark.

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• Jake Tapper – Former CNN colleague of Lemon, who publicly rebuked Trump’s remarks.

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• November (year unspecified) – Trump tells Lucey “Quiet, piggy” on Air Force One.

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• Early 2024 – Trump’s “media bias” tracker is released, highlighting perceived offenses.

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• Thursday, May 2024 – Stephen Colbert’s final “Late Show” episode airs; Lemon references the moment.

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• Same week – Trump posts on Truth Social praising Colbert’s firing and shares an AI-generated video of tossing Colbert into a dumpster.

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Lemon frames his call as a defense of the First Amendment, arguing that reporters must resist intimidation to preserve accurate public reporting. The president’s labeling of factual coverage as “treason” raises concerns about a chilling effect on investigative journalism and the broader democratic discourse.

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Trump has described certain coverage as “actually seditious” and used his “media bias” tracker to publicly flag stories he deems hostile. He also celebrated Stephen Colbert’s departure, writing that the firing marked “the Beginning of the End” for “untalented, nasty, highly overpaid” late-night hosts. Lemon, in contrast, praised Colbert’s willingness to “tell the truth on purpose” and urged journalists to stand up for themselves and colleagues. Jake Tapper responded to Trump’s remarks, defending the press against accusations of treason.

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Jake Tapper’s rebuttal highlighted internal dissent within the media community regarding Trump’s accusations. The “media bias” tracker, described as “so-called,” has been criticized for conflating legitimate reporting with partisan attacks, suggesting an attempt to delegitimize critical coverage.

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• “Do not let Karoline Leavitt call on the next person when you’re not finishing your question. Stand up for your colleagues,” — Don Lemon, Independent Journalist

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• “Stand up for yourself. Have some dignity and a backbone.” — Don Lemon

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• “The next time someone calls one of your coworkers a piggy, the next time he calls them a loser, the next time he insults them, the next time he tells a Black woman that she knows dirt better than him, say something!” — Don Lemon

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• “Reporting these facts isn’t treason, and it’s deranged for any president to say such a thing and potentially dangerous for the reporters he’s accusing of treason,” — Anchor, “The Lead.”

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• “Quiet, piggy,” — Donald Trump, to Catherine Lucey

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• “Stephen Colbert’s firing from CBS was the ‘Beginning of the End’ for untalented, nasty, highly overpaid, not funny, and very poorly rated Late Night Television Hosts,” — Donald Trump, Truth Social post

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The source describes the White House’s “media bias” tracker as “so-called,” indicating uncertainty about its official status. No quantitative data on the number of stories flagged or the impact of Lemon’s appeal on newsroom behavior is provided.

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Lemon’s podcast call may influence how reporters respond to future presidential questioning, while the administration’s continued use of the “media bias” tracker suggests ongoing tension between the White House and the press corps.

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