Don Lemon Grateful: Arrest Sparks 300K+ Follower Boom

Last month, former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested after covering an anti-ICE protest that stopped a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18. Federal charges included conspiracy to deprive rights and violating civil rights by interfering with worship. This led to his midnight arrest in Los Angeles by FBI and Homeland Security agents. Lemon was let go after his arraignment, but U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is still charging him with federal civil rights violations.

Lemon said he’s “thankful” that the arrest helped his career. Since then, he has gained more than 300,000 Instagram followers and 140,000 YouTube subscribers. His Substack newsletter also grew quickly, reaching 140,000 subscribers. Paid “Lemon Nation” members pay $8 a month. In an interview with the Washington Post, he said, “They unintentionally made me more well-known while trying to put me down.”

Response Lemon turned down easy TV appearances after his arrest, saying, “I’m not profiting from this,” and that the boost was “more beneficial than detrimental.” Donald Trump joked that it was the “best thing” for Lemon, who “had no viewers” before. Lemon made it clear on Jimmy Kimmel Live that he was a journalist by saying, “I was there to chronicle, not protest,” after offering to turn himself in but being arrested in a dramatic way.