what did don lemon say about nikki haley

Don Lemon said on air that Nikki Haley “isn’t in her prime,” adding that a woman is “considered to be in her prime in her 20s, 30s and maybe 40s,” which drew heavy backlash and was widely condemned as sexist.

What Exactly He Said

During a February 2023 segment on CNN This Morning , Lemon was reacting to Haley’s call for mental competency tests for politicians over 75. He argued that Haley herself “isn’t in her prime,” then expanded:

• He said a woman is “considered to be in her prime in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.”

• When challenged by co‑host Poppy Harlow, he referenced “Google” and “the facts,” which made the exchange even more awkward on live TV.

These remarks were about Haley personally, not just about age in general, and were immediately read as reducing women’s value to a narrow age window.

Reaction and Fallout

The comments sparked intense criticism across the political spectrum and in media circles.

• Nikki Haley called the remarks sexist and used them in fundraising appeals, telling supporters that liberals are “the most sexist.”

• Viewers, commentators, and colleagues characterized the “prime” comments as sexist and dismissive of women as professionals.

• The incident fed into a broader narrative about Lemon’s attitude toward women, with reports resurfacing past allegations of misogynistic behavior at CNN.

The controversy became a talking point in 2023 culture‑war and media‑bias debates, especially around age, gender, and politics.

Lemon’s Apology

Lemon publicly walked the comments back, both on social media and internally at CNN.

• He tweeted that his reference to a woman’s “prime” was “inartful and irrelevant” and said a woman’s age does not define her personally or professionally.

• In an internal editorial meeting he reportedly said, “I’m sorry that I said it,” and acknowledged that he understood why people found the remarks misguided.

• CNN leadership called the remarks “unacceptable” and “unfair” to his female co‑hosts, and Lemon was off the air for several days before returning.

Later in 2023, when Haley faced criticism for initially dodging mention of slavery as the cause of the Civil War, Lemon criticized her again on X (Twitter), saying she now wanted “grace” for a poor choice of words that she had not given him after his comments.

Why It’s Still Trending

This remains a trending topic because it sits at the intersection of:

• Media bias and how TV hosts talk about female candidates.

• Age and gender in politics, especially with 2024–2025 campaign dynamics.
• Ongoing online debates about whether Lemon’s firing from CNN weeks later was connected to this incident, his broader history, or network politics more generally.

Many forum and social media discussions now use “what did Don Lemon say about Nikki Haley” as shorthand for the “past her prime” controversy and the broader conversation it sparked about sexism in political coverage.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.