HOT TOPICS | White House in Chaos Over Pete Hegseth's Venezuela Boat Strike - December 2nd, 2025

Elon Musk is backpedaling again. After throwing some spicy shots at Donald Trump, he’s now walking them back, saying he regrets his posts. Awww. Is this the end of their billionaire bromance feud? Or just a pause in the circus? Meanwhile, new reports reveal that the Fort Bragg soldiers at Trump’s speech were handpicked for optics, carefully curated to look the part and hold the "right" political views. Sound familiar? It's all part of the lead-up to Trump’s upcoming birthday parade: a pageant of loyalty and empty spectacle designed to distract from his mounting failures. Join us as we unpack the performative politics, the carefully staged military photo ops, and the Musk-Trump melodrama. It’s not leadership, it’s just propaganda in a red tie. 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 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 Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon This episode is sponsored by Lean. Get started with 20% off when you enter LEMON20 at takelean.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11 Juni 202557min

In this powerful sit-down, Don Lemon is joined by political commentator and journalist Ahmed Baba to break down the latest chaos from the Trump administration. From targeting immigrants who are following the rules to deploying the military to American cities (against the will of state leaders) this presidency is veering deeper into authoritarian territory by the day. California said “no thanks,” but Trump sent the troops anyway. Immigrant families doing everything right? Still under attack. So what do we do now? Don and Ahmed cut through the noise, expose the dangerous overreach, and make one thing clear: it’s time to stand up. WE HAVE MERCH!! Purchase here: https://don-lemon-merch-store.myshopify.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11 Juni 202522min

The Trump administration keeps turning up the heat. First the National Guard, now the Marines. But is this military escalation really about maintaining peace, or manufacturing chaos? The media’s showing burning cars and chaos in the streets, but folks on the ground in LA are telling a very different story. Let's cut through the smoke (literally and figuratively) to ask: what’s actually happening in Los Angeles? Is this response about safety or about optics and control? And how much is too much when it comes to sending in troops against American citizens? Join us as we separate fact from fear-mongering and expose the reality behind the headlines. Because it looks like LA isn’t burning down… but our democracy might be. 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 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 Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon This episode is sponsored by Lean. Get started with 20% off when you enter LEMON20 at takelean.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11 Juni 202548min

Don Lemon sits down with friend of the show and retired D.C. police officer Michael Fanone to unpack the latest descent into chaos. From the military escalation in L.A. (where the only thing being protected is Trump’s ego), to MAGA’s ongoing war on accountability, to the bizarre plans for Trump’s upcoming birthday parade, they break it all down. Why is Trump acting like a dictator on tour? And why are so many people still cheering him on? Tune in for facts, fire, and zero tolerance for fascism. 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

10 Juni 202526min

The showdown is heating up. In the wake of escalating protests in Los Angeles, Donald Trump has steamrolled past state authority, first sending in the National Guard, then Marines, and now more National Guard, all without California’s consent. Governor Gavin Newsom says his state didn’t ask for this and doesn’t want it. And now? Trump is openly endorsing Newsom’s arrest. Yes, you read that right. Newsom is turning to the courts, arguing this is a blatant violation of state sovereignty. And he’s not wrong. Because when a president starts deploying the military against the will of elected state leaders and punishing them for it, we’re well past law and order and deep into autocracy cosplay. Tonight, we’re breaking down how we got here, what this means for California (and every other state), and why this fight could shape the future of federal vs. state power in America. Strap in. This one’s a mess. WE HAVE MERCH!! Purchase here: https://don-lemon-merch-store.myshopify.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 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 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 brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

10 Juni 20251h 6min

Don Lemon sits down with journalist Josh Vaughn and elected official Lamont Jones to expose the horrifying reality inside Dauphin County Prison in Pennsylvania, infamous for having double the national average of inmate deaths. Josh has spent years reporting on the systemic abuse at the prison: from a 17-day solitary confinement blackout to inhumane conditions like freezing cells and medical neglect. Lamont, once incarcerated there himself, is now seeking justice after the suspicious death of his young cousin behind those same bars. Together, they created Death County, PA, a new podcast from Wondery that dives deep into the coverups, corruption, and devastating human cost of America’s broken prison system. In a country where the President is pushing for more incarceration, not less, this conversation couldn’t be more urgent. What does Dauphin County tell us about the future of American justice? And who’s really paying the price? 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

10 Juni 202524min

What started as protests against ICE raids has spiraled into something far more dangerous. Despite California officials saying they had things under control, Trump has now deployed not just the National Guard, but marines and even more National Guard to Los Angeles, all without the state’s consent. Governor Gavin Newsom is calling it what it is: federal overreach. So… is this a violation of states’ rights? Is Trump trying to provoke violence for political gain? And if this can happen in California, what’s stopping it from happening in your state next? Let's break it all down. The power grab, the escalation, the implications. Is this what autocracy looks like in America? ...Yeah. It kind of is. Join us for receipts, resistance, and absolutely no sugarcoating. WE HAVE MERCH!! Purchase here: https://don-lemon-merch-store.myshopify.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 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 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 brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

10 Juni 20251h 14min

This conversation was too good to keep buried in the Substack archives. In this candid and wide-ranging sit-down, Don Lemon is joined by political analyst and writer Ahmed Baba to talk about the chaos of the current political moment and why independent media is more essential than ever. From the grift-filled mess that is Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” to the hilariously public meltdown of the Trump/Elon bromance, nothing is off-limits. Smart. Sharp. And very snarky. You won’t want to miss it. WE HAVE MERCH!! Purchase here: https://don-lemon-merch-store.myshopify.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

10 Juni 202530min