In his first interview since being fired by CNN Don Lemon is finally speaking out.
On Saturday, Lemon told ABC24 Memphis, that his firing came about because of his commitment to the “truth.” “I have a responsibility not only as a journalist but as an American to tell the truth and to abide by the promises of the Constitution,” said Lemon. “Because the Constitution says a more perfect union, not a perfect union. I’m not a perfect person. No one is.”
RELATED: BREAKING: CNN Terminates Don Lemon After 17 Years
He continued, “I don’t believe in platforming liars and bigots, and insurrectionists and election deniers and putting them on the same footing as people who are telling the truth; people who are fighting for what’s right, people who are abiding by the constitution. “I think that would be a dereliction of journalistic duty to do those sorts of things. That is what has gotten me to this point, and that is what is going to carry me forward.”
Lemon told the news outlet that following his firing from CNN he was not in any rush to see what would be next for his future.
“I’m not gonna force anything,” Lemon said. “I’m not gonna let other people’s timelines influence me.”
“I know people say, ‘I miss you on television. What is your next move?’ I’m figuring that out,” he added.
“I don’t have to be in a rush. I think sometimes people rush to make decisions and they end up making the wrong decisions.”
As we previously shared, early Monday morning (April 24), it was reported that CNN and Don Lemon had parted ways. Don took to his Twitter account and made the big reveal. He shared that his agent told him on Monday morning (April 24), that the network had terminated him.
He said, “I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN, I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network. It is clear that there are some larger issues at play. With that said, I want to thank my colleagues and the many teams I have worked with for an incredible run. They are the most talented journalists in the business, and I wish them all the best.”
Following Don’s statement, CNN CEO Chris Licht shared a memo to his staff that said, “Don will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years. We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors. CNN This Morning has been on the air for nearly six months, and we are committed to its success.”