Former CNN host Don Lemon recently asserted that President Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement represents "America's version" of the Nazi Party, though he specified it lacks the genocidal aspect of the Holocaust. Lemon made these remarks during an appearance on the "Can't Be Censored" podcast.
Lemon, who is also considering a presidential run in 2028, suggested that MAGA supporters are driven by a desire to uphold white supremacy and maintain power. He argued that unlike individuals who change their minds when presented with new, factual information, MAGA supporters remain steadfast in their views regardless of evidence regarding the Trump administration's policies or actions.
"No matter how many facts and how much information you give them about this presidency, about the policies, they don't change their minds," Lemon said. "Because they're really not voting for the price of eggs – they're voting for white supremacy, they're voting for power, they're voting to have a preeminent voice."
He further contended that some individuals in the Republican Party and associated with Donald Trump have fostered a belief that their failures are attributable to marginalized groups, such as Black people, women, Latinos, immigrants, and migrants, who are perceived as taking jobs or hindering financial and career success.
During the podcast, Lemon also interjected to state, "It's not off the rails. We've careened into fascism. The president is a fascist."
The comments have generated online criticism, with some users calling his statements "outrageous" and predicting they could lead to violence. Others dismissed the comparison as a repeated talking point against the MAGA movement.
Lemon's tenure at CNN ended in April 2023 after 17 years, following a series of controversies. He has since launched his own podcast, "The Don Lemon Show," available on various streaming platforms. Earlier this year, Lemon was arrested on federal civil rights charges related to an incident involving anti-ICE activists at a church service in Minnesota, to which he has pleaded not guilty, stating he was acting as an independent journalist.