Don Lemon urges White House press corps to 'have a backbone' against Trump
WASHINGTON, DC: Independent journalist Don Lemon publicly called out the White House press corps for failing to defend fellow journalists against President Donald Trump's attacks, urging reporters to “have some dignity and a backbone” and show the same solidarity late-night hosts showed Stephen Colbert after news of the comedian’s exit.
The former CNN anchor widened his criticism during an episode of ‘The Don Lemon Show’ podcast after first addressing Colbert’s departure in a Substack essay titled, “Don’t Cry For Stephen Colbert. Cry For The First Amendment.” Lemon used the moment to call out reporters who he believes stay silent when Trump insults journalists or cuts off their questions.
Don Lemon tells reporters to stand up for each other against Trump's attacks
“Now all of the late-night shows are going dark, so that Stephen gets all the shine. That’s how you stand up for each other,” Lemon said before directly turning his attention to the White House press corps.
“Press corps, White House press corps! Are you listening to this?” he continued. “All of his competitors, all of his colleagues, Stephen Colbert, they’re going dark because they want to give him the shine. They want to give him support.”
Lemon then accused reporters of worrying more about getting airtime for their networks than standing up for colleagues during tense exchanges with Trump.
“The next time someone calls one of your coworkers a piggy, the next time he calls them a loser, the next he insults them, the next time he tells a Black woman that she knows dirt better than him — say something!” Lemon remarked.
He urged reporters to repeat the same unanswered question if a colleague is ignored or interrupted during a briefing.
“Ask the same question as the person before. Give that person perhaps the floor,” Lemon said. “And if they move on to someone else, then so be it. Then the next reporter should keep doing the same thing.”
Don Lemon urges reporters to stand up for the First Amendment
Lemon also took aim at what he described as a culture of passivity inside the briefing room, telling reporters to stop prioritizing network demands over defending press freedom.
“Stop trying to get the, ‘I gotta get my question in because my network wants me to get to the question,’” he said. “You’re gonna be there for a long time. You’ll get your question in.”
Instead, Lemon suggested reporters should focus on “what’s more important,” adding, “You stand up for the First Amendment. You stand up for the freedom of the press. You stand for respect.”
He also singled out White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt while urging journalists not to back down when their questions are cut short.
“Do not let Karoline Leavitt call on the next person when you’re not finishing your question,” Lemon said. “Stand up for your colleagues. Stand up yourself. Have some dignity and a backbone.”
The former CNN host closed his remarks by praising Colbert’s years in late-night television and urging journalists to follow what he described as the comedian’s example of fearlessness.
“Watch what a man or a person or a woman looks like or should look like when they have spent years, in this case, Stephen Colbert, 11 years, telling the truth on purpose,” Lemon said. “And he is not done. And he is not afraid.”
