HOT TOPICS | This Is A Shutdown Teardown! - October 21st, 2025

Don Lemon sits down with Democratic strategist and former senior advisor to Kamala Harris, Mike Nellis, for a candid conversation about the 2024 election fallout. From strategic missteps to messaging failures, they unpack how Democrats lost ground and what it will take to rebuild. Can the party course-correct before 2028? What issues are voters actually prioritizing? And is the current leadership up to the challenge? It’s real talk, tough truths, and a blueprint for what comes next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5 Kesä 202543min

White House press secretary turned author Karine Jean-Pierre is making headlines, this time for her new book Independent (dropping this October) and her surprise announcement that she’s leaving the Democratic Party to register as… you guessed it… an Independent. Yes, the same Karine who served as the voice of the Biden administration and a key mouthpiece for the Democratic Party is now singing a different tune. So what gives? Is this a principled shift or a carefully timed rebrand? Join us as we break down what this move really means, how it’s being received inside the Beltway, and whether this is a quiet rebuke of the party… or just a savvy pivot ahead of 2028. WE HAVE MERCH!! Purchase here: https://don-lemon-merch-store.myshopify.com/ This episode is sponsored by Lean. Get started with 20% off when you enter LEMON20 at takelean.com. This episode is brought to you by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Go to https://FFRF.US/Freedom or text DON to 511 511 and become a member today. This episode is brought to you by Beam. Visit https://shopbeam.com/LEMON and use code LEMON to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/donlemon and get on your way to being your best self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4 Kesä 20251h 24min

Legacy news is in freefall, with ratings plummeting and more Americans opting to turn away from traditional mainstream news sources. And to make things worse, the Trump administration is ready to kick it while it’s down, slashing funding to public broadcasting altogether. Why? Because informed citizens are inconvenient when you're trying to run a disinformation campaign from the Oval Office. As Americans turn away from traditional outlets and toward independent media, we ask: what’s next? Can the media rebuild public trust? Or is this the final season of “Mainstream Media: The Series”? Journalist Oliver Darcy joins us to unpack the collapse, the consequences, and the chaos. Is this the end of an era? WE HAVE MERCH!! Purchase here: https://don-lemon-merch-store.myshopify.com/ This episode is sponsored by Lean. Get started with 20% off when you enter LEMON20 at takelean.com. This episode is brought to you by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Go to https://FFRF.US/Freedom or text DON to 511 511 and become a member today. This episode is brought to you by Beam. Visit https://shopbeam.com/LEMON and use code LEMON to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/donlemon and get on your way to being your best self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4 Kesä 20251h 2min

Hey Lemon Nation! There's trouble in Big Beautiful Paradise! Freshly departed from the Trump administration, Elon Musk has called MAGA's spending bill a "disgusting abomination," triggering responses from both Republicans and Democrats. Join Don at 5pm EST to break down all of the drama! WE HAVE MERCH!! Purchase here: https://don-lemon-merch-store.myshopify.com/ This episode is brought to you by Beam. Visit https://shopbeam.com/LEMON and use code LEMON to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/donlemon and get on your way to being your best self. This episode is sponsored by Lean. Get started with 20% off when you enter LEMON20 at takelean.com. This episode is brought to you by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Go to https://FFRF.US/Freedom or text DON to 511 511 and become a member today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3 Kesä 20251h 15min

Get ready for a no-holds-barred conversation as Don sits down with the legendary Kathy Griffin for a wild, witty, and wildly real discussion. They get into everything...Trump, MAGA madness, the high stakes of the 2028 election, the state of the media (it’s not great), and how we fight back. Plus, Kathy opens up about what Pride Month means to her and why now is the time to speak up, stand up, and stop sugarcoating. It’s unfiltered. It’s fearless. And it’s exactly what you need right now. This episode is sponsored by ZBiotics. Go to https://zbiotics.com/LEMONDROPS and use LEMONDROPS at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3 Kesä 202552min

Why is everyone so scared of Donald Trump? Let's dive into the troubling trend of institutions bending the knee to the orange overlord. From major law firms cutting shady deals to stay in Trump’s good graces (and losing real clients in the process), to media outlets softening coverage, playing the “both sides” game, or settling lawsuits they should have fought, cowardice is the word of the day. And it doesn’t stop there. Social media companies have started implementing Trump’s whims like he’s their CEO, and even universities like Columbia are folding faster than a cheap suit, caving to pressure and handing him political wins on a silver platter. Where’s the spine? Where’s the resistance? If we don’t push back now, we’re handing over the country to fear, fascism, and a fragile ego in a red tie. Let’s break it all down and call out the cowardice. WE HAVE MERCH!! Purchase here: https://don-lemon-merch-store.myshopify.com/ This episode is brought to you by Beam. Visit https://shopbeam.com/LEMON and use code LEMON to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/donlemon and get on your way to being your best self. This episode is sponsored by Lean. Get started with 20% off when you enter LEMON20 at takelean.com. This episode is brought to you by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Go to https://FFRF.US/Freedom or text DON to 511 511 and become a member today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3 Kesä 20251h 26min

Hey there Lemon Nation! We have some exclusive insight into the Diddy trial. We are joined by attorney and legal analyst Symone Redwine to break it all down! Then...let's dive into Pride. The rainbows are still up, the hashtags still trending, but the joy feels a little quieter. Why? Because while we celebrate visibility, MAGA is waging an all-out war on it. Corporate America? Folding faster than a lawn chair. Companies once flaunting rainbows are now cowering in the face of backlash, choosing profit over principle. Because apparently, “inclusion” is only marketable when it’s easy. So if you’re angry, you’re not alone. If you’re scared, you’re not alone. And if you’re ready to fight back? You’re exactly where you need to be. 🌈✊ This episode is brought to you by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Go to https://FFRF.US/Freedom or text DON to 511 511 and become a member today. This episode is sponsored by Lean. Get started with 20% off when you enter LEMON20 at takelean.com. This episode is brought to you by Beam. Visit https://shopbeam.com/LEMON and use code LEMON to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2 Kesä 202551min

Republican Senator Joni Ernst responded to concerns about Medicaid cuts with the ever-comforting words: “We’re all going to die.” Cool cool cool. Tonight, we’re unpacking the very real consequences of that mindset, from RFK Jr. and HHS slashing vaccine research funding, to the Trump administration quietly limiting COVID vaccine access, to MAGA gutting support for our nation’s top scientific research institutions. Public health? Who needs it! Join us as we ask: Is this just cruelty as policy, or is there an actual plan? Either way, buckle up. The nihilism is bipartisan, but the damage is disproportionately MAGA. Let’s break it all down with facts, fury, and just enough humor to survive the news cycle. This episode is brought to you by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Go to https://FFRF.US/Freedom or text DON to 511 511 and become a member today. This episode is sponsored by Lean. Get started with 20% off when you enter LEMON20 at takelean.com. This episode is brought to you by Beam. Visit https://shopbeam.com/LEMON and use code LEMON to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2 Kesä 202559min