Earlier than former CNN anchor Don Lemon joined ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Reside! on Monday to debate his latest arrest, he was most likely instructed by his lawyer to not say something that may get him in hassle, in order that left a lot of the outrage-mongering concerning the precise incident to the eponymous host. In response to Kimmel, Lemon was “arrested for committing journalism” and accused Lawyer Basic Pam Bondi of mendacity and hypocrisy for saying the administration is not going to tolerate individuals who disrupt worship companies, though his proof was virtually non-existent.
Kimmel started by introducing Lemon, “Our first visitor tonight is a longtime TV and digital newsman who on Thursday night time was arrested for committing journalism, which is a really critical crime beneath our present administration. Becoming a member of us now to share all of the unimaginable particulars, please welcome Don Lemon.”
Jimmy Kimmel introduces Don Lemon as “a longtime TV and digital newsman who on Thursday night time was arrested for committing journalism, which is a really critical crime beneath our present administration.” pic.twitter.com/yhtIC1tNNh
— Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) February 3, 2026
As Lemon sat down, Kimmel continued, “Thanks for being right here. I—and I hope you are okay. I hope you are mentally okay after what occurred to you. How are you?”
Lemon answered, “I do not know” and “That is a very—that is an trustworthy reply. I do not know. I imply, I am okay. However I am not going to allow them to steal my pleasure, however that is very critical. I imply, these are federal prison costs.”
One of many unintended uncomfortable side effects of Lemon’s arrest is that it compelled Kimmel to truly speak concerning the St. Paul church invasion. In fact, Kimmel sided with the mob, nevertheless, sarcastically noting, “Apparently there was a pastor on the church who was additionally an area ICE official, which is, I feel, simply as Jesus would need, and I imagine we now have some B-roll. Protesters interrupted the Sunday service. And also you adopted them in.”
Kimmel additionally sarcastically laments, “Apparently there was a pastor on the church who was additionally an area ICE official, which is I feel simply as Jesus would need.” For his half, Lemon saved insisting he is only a easy journalist, “Properly, pay attention, clearly in the course of this, I am unable to… pic.twitter.com/PFliz5C5Zt
— Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) February 3, 2026
He then puzzled, “You interviewed numerous individuals within the church. And afterward, effectively, you had been arrested. Now, first I wish to ask you, is there a distinction between whether or not these protesters had the correct to enter a church and whether or not a credentialed journalist like your self had the correct to go in and canopy them going into the church?”
Kimmel additionally omitted how Lemon is alleged to have obstructed the exit and to not have left after the pastor requested him to. As for Kimmel’s query, Lemon repeated his normal speaking level, “Properly, pay attention, clearly in the course of this, I am unable to say quite a bit. There’s quite a bit that I can not say. However what I’ll say is that I am not a protester. I went there to be a journalist. I went there to chronicle and doc and report what was taking place. I used to be following that one group round, and so that is what I did. I reported on them. However I do assume that there’s a distinction between a protester and a journalist.”
Later, Kimmel got here again from a business with a clip of Bondi declaring, “Make no mistake, beneath President Trump’s management and this administration, you’ve the correct to worship freely and safely. And if I have not been clear already, in case you violate that sacred proper, we’re coming after you.”
Kimmel reacted by huffing, “That’s Pam Bondi, our lawyer common, mendacity to us, utilizing her freedom of speech to lie. And I feel it is value noting that final 12 months the Trump administration made it authorized for ICE brokers to enter homes of worship, colleges, well being care amenities. However they’re saying that it isn’t okay for journalists to do the identical factor. I feel that is fascinating.”
After a clip of Pam Bondi saying you do not have a proper to violate another person’s proper to “worship freely and safely,” Kimmel huffs, “That’s Pam Bondi, our lawyer common, mendacity to us, utilizing her freedom of speech to lie. And I feel it is value noting that final 12 months the Trump… pic.twitter.com/3ObQCSRkbO
— Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) February 3, 2026
What’s the lie? Kimmel by no means specified. Nor did he care to elucidate his bizarre logic that compares legislation enforcement actions to personal residents invading personal property.
He did, nevertheless, ask, “When you had been in custody in a single day—we’re speaking about being in a holding cell. What is going on by means of your thoughts? What are you doing? How do you cross that point?”
Lemon lamented, “Properly, your complete time it occurred, you understand, I stated I assumed it would occur. And my lawyer, you understand, referred to as them or reached out—emailed them, reached out, and by no means heard again… I simply saved chronicling in my head what I used to be doing, what I used to be seeing, what was taking place, each time I needed to go—as a result of it was a holding room—each time I wanted to go to the restroom, I needed to knock on the door. They needed to come get me after which take me to the toilet and stand there whereas I used to be utilizing—whereas I used to be peeing.”
As for the media as an trade, Lemon decried individuals who platform these “who come on simply to lie,” which is ironic given Kimmel’s evidence-free assertion that Bondi is mendacity and private historical past.
Having lied by means of his enamel about his position within the conspiracy to violate the Free Train rights of the parishioners of Cities Church, Don Lemon decries company media platforming individuals “who come on simply to lie.” pic.twitter.com/3hfv2X0xDD
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) February 3, 2026
If Kimmel insisted on interviewing Lemon, he ought to’ve requested about his refusal to depart when requested and concerning the allegations he hindered individuals’s potential to depart. Lemon most likely wouldn’t have answered, but when Kimmel needs to be a newsman along with a comic, that ought to’ve been the naked minimal.
Here’s a transcript for the February 2 present:
ABC Jimmy Kimmel Reside!
2/2/22026
11:57 PM ET
JIMMY KIMMEL: Our first visitor tonight is a longtime TV and digital newsman who on Thursday night time was arrested for committing journalism, which is a really critical crime beneath our present administration. Becoming a member of us now to share all of the unimaginable particulars, please welcome Don Lemon.
Thanks for being right here. I—and I hope you are okay. I hope you are mentally okay after what occurred to you. How are you?
DON LEMON: I do not know.
KIMMEL: You do not know?
LEMON: That is a very — that is an trustworthy reply. I do not know. I imply, I am okay. However I am not going to allow them to steal my pleasure, however that is very critical. I imply, these are federal prison costs.
KIMMEL: Yeah. And time in jail can change a person, even when it is only one night time.
LEMON: Yeah, effectively, not but. Do not get forward of your self, Jimmy.
…
KIMMEL: Apparently there was a pastor on the church who was additionally an area ICE official, which is, I feel, simply as Jesus would need, and I imagine we now have some B-roll. Protesters interrupted the Sunday service. And also you adopted them in. You interviewed numerous individuals within the church. And afterward, effectively, you had been arrested. Now, first I wish to ask you, is there a distinction between whether or not these protesters had the correct to enter a church and whether or not a credentialed journalist like your self had the correct to go in and canopy them going into the church?
LEMON: Properly, pay attention, clearly in the course of this, I am unable to say quite a bit. There’s quite a bit that I can not say. However what I’ll say is that I am not a protester.
KIMMEL: Proper.
LEMON: I went there to be a journalist. I went there to chronicle and doc and report what was taking place. I used to be following that one group round, and so that is what I did. I reported on them. However I do assume that there’s a distinction between a protester and a journalist.
…
PAM BONDI: Make no mistake, beneath President Trump’s management and this administration, you’ve the correct to worship freely and safely. And if I have not been clear already, in case you violate that sacred proper, we’re coming after you.
KIMMEL: We’re again with Don Lemon. That’s Pam Bondi, our lawyer common, mendacity to us, utilizing her freedom of speech to lie. And I feel it is value noting that final 12 months the Trump administration made it authorized for ICE brokers to enter homes of worship, colleges, well being care amenities. However they’re saying that it isn’t okay for journalists to do the identical factor. I feel that is fascinating.
LEMON: Yeah.
KIMMEL: You — when you had been in custody in a single day — we’re speaking about being in a holding cell. What is going on by means of your thoughts? What are you doing? How do you cross that point?
LEMON: Properly, your complete time it occurred, you understand, I stated I assumed it would occur. And my lawyer, you understand, referred to as them or reached out — emailed them, reached out, and by no means heard again. However your complete time, I used to be pondering that I am a journalist, and I simply begin pondering in my head, what number of brokers are there? Who am I using within the truck with? Like, I wished to maintain psychological notes of that. I could not — clearly I did not have a cellphone or something to write down it down. So, that is what I used to be doing. Individuals rely their steps. I simply saved chronicling in my head what I used to be doing, what I used to be seeing, what was taking place, each time I needed to go—as a result of it was a holding room—each time I wanted to go to the restroom, I needed to knock on the door. They needed to come get me after which take me to the toilet and stand there whereas I used to be utilizing—whereas I used to be peeing.
…
LEMON: We do not want the individuals saying, “effectively cautious what you are saying as a result of we’d like entry to the president and we do not wish to lose this interview for the morning present.” You understand what I am saying? Or “We have to get our mergers and acquisitions executed in Washington so do not piss off the president or he may sue us.”
So, that is why I am doing what I am doing as a result of I feel there’s an actual want proper now. This is a vital time. This isn’t a time for folly. It isn’t a time for false equivalence and placing individuals on tv and on information applications, giving them a platform who come on simply to lie. I feel individuals are sick of that. Some issues—some issues are objectively unhealthy, Jimmy, and you do not have to—simply since you say one thing important of Donald Trump or Republicans doesn’t suggest that it’s a must to go and say one thing. “Oh, effectively, you understand the Democrats or Joe Biden—“ No. Some issues are objectively unhealthy, and I feel it is necessary on this time to level that out.
