James Woods calls Don Lemon a ‘small man’ and ‘dingleberry’ over Minnesota church protest coverage

WASHINGTON, DC: James Woods slammed Don Lemon over his coverage of a Minnesota church protest, calling Lemon the “dingleberry” hanging around American journalism. While speaking with Megyn Kelly on 'The Megyn Kelly Show', Woods criticized Lemon for following ICE protesters into a church on Sunday, January 18.

Woods also said Lemon was fully aware of the unrest affecting the country and should have been more sensitive in his remarks.

Protesters said they believed the pastor had ties to ICE. The former CNN anchor was heard saying, “This is what the First Amendment is about, the freedom to protest.” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon has also criticized Lemon’s recent remarks about the St Paul anti-ICE riot.

James Woods, DOJ blast Don Lemon coverage

James Woods accused Don Lemon of misleading coverage and suggested the journalist knew more about the situation than he let on. “Don Lemon is the Dingleberry hanging off the a** of American journalism,” Woods said.

“Okay? And let me tell you, when CNN got rid of them, they didn’t wipe hard enough. This is a trick. It’s a diversion. This small man, Don Lemon, was aware of everything that was going on.”

Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, also condemned Lemon’s reporting. She confirmed that the Department of Justice is reviewing the protest as a possible violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. Woods later dismissed Lemon’s coverage as a “dog and pony show.”

Dhillon said Lemon’s actions were unacceptable. She publicly warned him in a heated social media post and reinforced her position during an appearance with conservative podcaster Benny Johnson.

“A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest! It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws! Nor does the First Amendment protect your pseudo journalism of disrupting a prayer service,” Dhillon tweeted. “You are on notice!”

Don Lemon defends church protest coverage

The former CNN anchor and his film crew followed protesters as they entered a Minneapolis church and interrupted a worship service. Lemon streamed the moment live, narrating events as they unfolded, but did not participate.

Instead, he interviewed protesters, the pastor, and church members affected by the disruption. Responding to criticism, Lemon defended his coverage, calling it journalism rather than interference.

“We were there chronicling protests,” Lemon said in an Instagram video. “Once the protest started in the church, we did an act of journalism, which was report on it and talk to the people who were involved, which included the pastor, members of the church and members of the organization. That’s it. It’s called journalism. First Amendment. All that stuff.”

The protest forced the service to pause as demonstrators chanted inside the church. Addressing the moment on air, Lemon said, “This is what the First Amendment is about, the freedom to protest... protests are not comfortable... the whole point of it is to disrupt and make people uncomfortable.”