Female CNN Staffers Threaten to Quit If Lemon Not Fired: Report

A report on Monday claimed that several female staffers at CNN have given the network an ultimatum regarding embattled morning co-host Don Lemon.

Lemon, co-host of “CNN This Morning” with Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins, has not been seen on the air since Thursday when he said former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who announced her candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination last week, was “past her prime” at age 51.

The Daily Mail reported Monday, quoting an unnamed source, that if Lemon, 56, who has since apologized for his remark, isn’t fired, a number of female staffers threatened to walk.

“People are hurt by his actions and are not going to let this go,” the source said, according to The Daily Mail. “It is like every woman over 50 in America has taken this as a personal insult. The female staffers at CNN definitely have. He needs to make his vacation a permanent one.”

“There is not one person at CNN who thinks that he should remain on air,” an insider told The Daily Mail. “He knows how badly he screwed up and he also knows that he cannot talk his way out of this one. His apology meant nothing.”

Although The Daily Mail quoted a source who denied reports that Lemon is being pressured to resign, another report citing “insiders” at CNN claims that they are pushing for Lemon’s firing due to an overwhelming influx of complaints from disgruntled, long-time viewers. According to these sources, the network has been inundated a “tidal wave” of complaints.

Lemon made the comments while discussing Haley’s proposal to mandate mental competency tests for elected politicians over the age of 75. During the conversation, Lemon also remarked that Haley should be careful when discussing the topic since, in Lemon’s opinion, “Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime.”

“This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable. I think it’s the wrong road to go down. She says people, you know, politicians are suddenly not in their prime. Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime. Sorry, When a woman is in their prime in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s,” he said before Harlow interrupted.

“What are you talking — Wait…,” she said.

“That’s not according to me,” Lemon responded.

“Prime for what?” Harlow said.

“It depends. It’s just like, prime. If you look it up. If you Google when is a woman in her prime, it’ll say 20s, 30s, 40s,” Lemon said.

“Forties! Oh my God, I have another decade,” Harlow said.

“I’m not saying I agree with that. So I think she has to be careful about saying that, you know, politicians are in their prime,” lemon said, stumbling as he backtracked.

“Are you talking about prime for, like, childbearing? Or are you talking about prime for being president?” Harlow pressed.

“Don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just saying what the facts are. Google it. Everybody at home, when is a woman in her prime? It says 20s, 30s and 40s. I’m just saying Nikki Haley should careful about saying that politicians are not in their prime, and they need to be in their prime when they serve. She would not be in her prime according to Google or whatever it is,” Lemon said.

WATCH:

Don Lemon: "Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime. Sorry, when a woman is considered to be in her prime in her 20s, and 30s, and maybe 40s…"

Poppy Harlow: "Are you talking about prime for like child bearing?"

"Don’t shoot the messenger! I’m just saying what the facts are! Google it!" pic.twitter.com/n1HmtkWTpl

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 16, 2023

Lemon took to Twitter to offer up a mea culpa of sorts after Thursday’s broadcast.

“The reference I made to a woman’s ‘prime’ this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it. A woman’s age doesn’t define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day,” he noted.

The reference I made to a woman’s “prime” this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it. A woman’s age doesn't define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.

— Don Lemon (@donlemon) February 16, 2023

Following the exchange on-air, the New York Post reported that a “furious” Harlow walked off the set, per the New York Post.

According to a source, Collins, who had previously clashed with Lemon, followed her colleague into the restroom during a “well-timed” bathroom break.

The insider suggested that the tense relationship between Lemon, Collins, and Harlow had been simmering for several months, as have previous sources. Additionally, a CNN insider claimed that the recent high-profile incident may prompt network boss Licht to replace Lemon as the co-host of the morning show.

“Chris isn’t happy and he has spoken to Don a couple of times today,” the network source told The Post. “Don knows it can’t happen again.”