Don Lemon says Nicki Minaj ‘does not understand journalism’ after rapper called for his arrest

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon has fired back at Nicki Minaj after she criticized his recent political coverage in Minnesota.

Lemon, an independent journalist, sparked backlash on Sunday when he shared video footage from an anti-ICE protest that interrupted a church service in St. Paul in the wake of Renee Nicole Good’s killing.

MAGA activists accused Lemon of following protesters in storming the church so that he could interview one of the church’s pastors, David Easterwood, who is the acting director of ICE’s St. Paul field office.

Minaj, who has gone all in with her support for Donald Trump in recent months, joined outraged conservatives online in calling for Lemon’s arrest based on his alleged participation in the protest.

The “Super Bass” rapper wrote Monday on X: “DON ‘C**K SUCKIN’ LEMON IS DISGUSTING. HOW DARE YOU? I WANT THAT THUG IN JAIL!!!!! HE WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO ANY OTHER RELIGION. LOCK HIM UP!!!!!”

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Lemon — a gay man who married his longtime partner Tim Malone in 2024 — responded to the derogatory rant in a statement to TMZ, saying, “I’m not surprised Nicki Minaj does not understand journalism and is weighing in on matters that are above her capacity.”

He then commented on the fact that Minaj included a picture of a Chucky Doll, saying: “However, the more appropriate image for her post is a 'Pick Me' Doll.” Lemon is referring to a slang word used to tease people, usually women, who try to prove they have different preferences than other people, often as a way to impress men.

Neither representatives for Minaj nor Lemon responded to a request for comment from The Independent.

In an Instagram video sharing further comments to Minaj on Instagram, Lemon called her social media rant “unhinged and homophobic.”

“I usually don’t respond to this stuff, but let me just say this: Nicki Minaj, stop talking about s*** you know nothing about,” Lemon slammed. “This is out of your depth, by the way, and you are a homophobic bigot.”

He ended the rant by saying, “Nicki Minaj, get a life. Stop being a pick me.”

Lemon is now being investigated along with the protesters after the demonstration at the church, according to the Justice Department. U.S. Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon called him out specifically in a post on social media, writing: “You are on notice!”

However, Lemon insists that he was at the protest for journalistic reasons that are protected by the Constitution.

“The MAGA administration and the fake news MAGAs are losing their mind over something that’s not even true,” Lemon said in another Instagram video responding to the criticism. “We were there chronicling protests. 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, the First Amendment.”