Lemon LIVE at 5 | HAPPENING NOW: Standoff in Congress! - December 17th, 2025

Tonight we’re breaking down the chaos unfolding on Capitol Hill because the cracks inside MAGA just got a lot harder to ignore. In a stunning move, four Republicans broke ranks to force a House vote on extending the Affordable Care Act subsidies, putting leadership on the defensive and exposing growing unrest within the party. From internal GOP fractures to a MAGA administration that looks increasingly unable to control its own members, the dysfunction is on full display. Is this the beginning of a broader collapse or just another sign that the MAGA coalition is eating itself alive? This episode is sponsored by ZBiotics. Go to https://zbiotics.com/LEMON and use LEMON at checkout for 15% off first time orders. This episode is sponsored by Beam. Go to https://shopbeam.com/LEMON, use code LEMON, and take advantage of my exclusive offer for up to 40% off during Beam’s Dream Powder. So with my discount code, LEMON, you can get their best selling dream powder for just $39 dollars. This episode is brought to you by Graza. Take your food to the next level with Graza Olive Oil. Visit https://graza.co/DON and use promo code DON today for 20% off your first order! This episode is brought to you by MSI. Donate now to help millions of women get access to care — and to hope. You can Text LEMON to five eleven five eleven, or go to https://MSIUnited States.org. This episode is sponsored by Aura Frames. Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/DONLEMON. Promo Code DONLEMON Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don breaks down the failure of Bari Weiss’ CBS town hall with Erika Kirk, an event that ultimately fell flat with viewers. The ratings were weak, the response was mixed at best, and many were left questioning the editorial choices behind the broadcast. Don examines why the town hall struggled to connect, the lack of journalistic pushback, and what this moment may signal about CBS’s apparent attempt to shift right in search of a new audience. Is this a misread of what viewers actually want? And what does it mean for a legacy network navigating a rapidly changing media landscape? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This morning, we’re diving into an explosive Vanity Fair article that’s sending shockwaves through Washington. The piece is based on extraordinary access to Susie Wiles, Trump’s chief of staff, who rarely speaks to the press. Over months of on-the-record conversations, Wiles opens up about the inner workings of the White House, the chaos behind the scenes, and even describes Trump as having an “alcoholic’s personality.” We’re joined live by the author of the article, Chris Whipple, to break it all down. Why did Susie Wiles agree to this level of access? How are people inside the Trump administration reacting to these revelations? And what does this mean for the White House and the administration’s stability moving forward? This episode is sponsored by ZBiotics. Go to https://zbiotics.com/LEMON and use LEMON at checkout for 15% off first time orders. This episode is sponsored by Beam. Go to https://shopbeam.com/LEMON, use code LEMON, and take advantage of my exclusive offer for up to 40% off during Beam’s Dream Powder. So with my discount code, LEMON, you can get their best selling dream powder for just $39 dollars. This episode is brought to you by Graza. Take your food to the next level with Graza Olive Oil. Visit https://graza.co/DON and use promo code DON today for 20% off your first order! This episode is brought to you by MSI. Donate now to help millions of women get access to care — and to hope. You can Text LEMON to five eleven five eleven, or go to https://MSIUnited States.org. This episode is sponsored by Aura Frames. Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/DONLEMON. Promo Code DONLEMON Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don is joined by Michael Cohen to discuss the tragic death of Rob Reiner and his wife and the deeply disturbing response from Donald Trump that followed. In a moment that demanded compassion and basic human decency, Trump chose something else entirely. His words have sparked widespread outrage and disbelief, raising a stark question: how can anyone possibly defend this kind of response? Don and Michael Cohen break down what Trump said, why it crossed a line for so many Americans, and what it reveals about his character, judgment, and capacity for empathy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’re breaking down an issue that will impact the health of millions of Americans. House Speaker Mike Johnson has made it clear he will not bring a vote to extend the enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, all but guaranteeing they expire at the end of this month. The result? Higher insurance premiums for millions of people who rely on Obamacare for coverage, starting next year. At a time when families are already stretched thin by rising costs, MAGA Republicans are choosing to let affordable health care slip away with no replacement, no relief, and no plan. We’ll explain what’s expiring, who will be affected, how much costs could rise, and why this decision matters so much right now. And we’ll ask the bigger question: if this is what they’re willing to take away, what comes next? This episode is sponsored by Beam. Go to https://shopbeam.com/LEMON, use code LEMON, and take advantage of my exclusive offer for up to 40% off during Beam’s Dream Powder. So with my discount code, LEMON, you can get their best selling dream powder for just $39 dollars. This episode is sponsored by Ollie. Take the guesswork out of your dog's well-being. Go to https://ollie.com/lemon and use code lemon to get 60% off your first box! This episode is brought to you by MSI. Donate now to help millions of women get access to care — and to hope. You can Text LEMON to five eleven five eleven, or go to https://MSIUnited States.org. This episode is sponsored by Aura Frames. Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/DONLEMON. Promo Code DONLEMON This episode is brought to you by Graza. Take your food to the next level with Graza Olive Oil. Visit https://graza.co/DON and use promo code DON today for 20% off your first order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Washington was rocked by an explosive new Vanity Fair article that pulls back the curtain on life inside Trump’s White House, and the revelations are stunning. The piece is based on a year’s worth of on-the-record conversations with Susie Wiles, Trump’s chief of staff, who rarely speaks to the press. Over 11 interviews, Wiles paints a vivid and troubling picture of a volatile president, describing what she calls Trump’s “alcoholic’s personality,” ongoing internal chaos, and mounting foreign policy tensions, including a brewing conflict involving Venezuela. Don breaks down the most jaw-dropping revelations from the article, what it reveals about the dysfunction at the highest levels of power, and why these disclosures matter, not just as gossip, but as a serious warning about leadership, stability, and decision-making in the White House. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This morning, we’re addressing the horrific and tragic murder of Rob Reiner and his wife, and the disturbing response from Donald Trump that followed. In a moment that called for basic decency and humanity, Trump chose cruelty instead. His words have sparked outrage not only from Democrats, but from Republicans as well, with some openly condemning his statement and breaking ranks in rare and striking fashion. So we’re asking the question many Americans are asking right now: has Trump finally gone so far that even his allies can no longer excuse it? And will this moment force a real reckoning with his complete lack of empathy and moral responsibility? This episode is sponsored by Beam. Go to https://shopbeam.com/LEMON, use code LEMON, and take advantage of my exclusive offer for up to 40% off during Beam’s Dream Powder. So with my discount code, LEMON, you can get their best selling dream powder for just $39 dollars. This episode is sponsored by Ollie. Take the guesswork out of your dog's well-being. Go to https://ollie.com/lemon and use code lemon to get 60% off your first box! This episode is brought to you by MSI. Donate now to help millions of women get access to care — and to hope. You can Text LEMON to five eleven five eleven, or go to https://MSIUnited States.org. This episode is sponsored by Aura Frames. Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/DONLEMON. Promo Code DONLEMON This episode is brought to you by Graza. Take your food to the next level with Graza Olive Oil. Visit https://graza.co/DON and use promo code DON today for 20% off your first order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight we’re addressing the tragic and shocking murders of filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, who were found dead in their Los Angeles home. In the midst of this heartbreaking news, President Donald Trump sparked widespread outrage with his heartless and cruel response on social media, suggesting, without any evidence, that Reiner’s political views and criticism of him contributed to the couple’s deaths. That remark has been condemned by lawmakers, celebrities, and even some Republican figures as inappropriate and disrespectful to the victims and their grieving family. Joining us tonight is John Avlon to help unpack the facts, the reaction, and why the president’s comments have raised serious questions about leadership, empathy, and how political discourse should, and should not, play out in the face of real human tragedy. This episode is sponsored by ZBiotics. Go to https://zbiotics.com/LEMON and use LEMON at checkout for 15% off first time orders. This episode is brought to you by Graza. Take your food to the next level with Graza Olive Oil. Visit https://graza.co/DON and use promo code DON today for 20% off your first order! This episode is sponsored by Fatty15. Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to https://fatty15.com/LEMON and using code LEMON at checkout. This episode is brought to you by MSI. Donate now to help millions of women get access to care — and to hope. You can Text LEMON to five eleven five eleven, or go to https://MSIUnited States.org. This episode is sponsored by Aura Frames. Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/DONLEMON. Promo Code DONLEMON Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don takes a closer look at the recent CBS town hall featuring Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, and what it signals about the direction the network may be heading under Bari Weiss’s leadership. While the event was framed as a moment of reflection and healing, the faith-driven language, tone, and noticeable lack of journalistic pushback raised eyebrows for many viewers. Don breaks down what was said, what wasn’t challenged, and why this style of coverage is leaving some audiences unsettled about the role of journalism, accountability, and rigor in high-profile media spaces. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This morning we’re confronting an incredibly dark and tragic weekend on multiple fronts. First, we’ll look at the horrific news of two more mass shootings, one in Australia and another at Brown University, senseless acts of violence that have shaken communities and left families devastated. We’ll also address the shocking and heartbreaking news that legendary filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were found dead in their Los Angeles home in an apparent homicide. These events are awful and senseless, and the violence we’ve seen recently feels increasingly prominent and destabilizing. Join us live as we break down the news, talk about what we know so far, and grapple with how dark and challenging the current moment feels. This is a difficult, emotional discussion, and we’re here to walk through it together. This episode is sponsored by ZBiotics. Go to https://zbiotics.com/LEMON and use LEMON at checkout for 15% off first time orders. This episode is brought to you by Graza. Take your food to the next level with Graza Olive Oil. Visit https://graza.co/DON and use promo code DON today for 20% off your first order! This episode is sponsored by Fatty15. Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to https://fatty15.com/LEMON and using code LEMON at checkout. This episode is brought to you by MSI. Donate now to help millions of women get access to care — and to hope. You can Text LEMON to five eleven five eleven, or go to https://MSIUnited States.org. This episode is sponsored by Aura Frames. Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/DONLEMON. Promo Code DONLEMON Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices