Lemon LIVE at 5 | Who Is This Week's SOUR LEMON?! - May 2nd, 2025

Because nothing says “freedom” like bringing back Alcatraz, Trump has now floated the idea of reopening the infamous prison island. Yes, that Alcatraz, the one we turned into a museum because we thought we were done with locking people away on remote rocks. So… why now? And who does he plan to put there? (Spoiler: it’s probably not white-collar criminals or corrupt politicians.) Is this just another MAGA stunt? Or are we watching the early stages of state-sponsored prison camps take shape right before our eyes? Let's break down the absurdity, the authoritarian undertones, and the truly dystopian vibes coming from the Trump administration’s latest "idea." Because apparently the 2025 policy agenda is now just one bad Netflix thriller at a time. This episode is sponsored by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/donlemon and get on your way to being your best self. This episode is brought to you by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Whether you’ve always been secular or left religion behind, if you don’t want someone else dictating the trip for you, F-F-R-F has your back. Join us. Go to FFRF.US/Freedom or text the word, “DON” to five eleven five eleven and become a member today. Text fees may apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s another chaotic day in the news cycle, and we’re breaking it all down. First up: Trump’s interview with Kristen Welker, where he served up a fresh batch of lies, deflections, and victimhood, and then cried “unfair” the moment she pushed back with facts. (We’ve seen this movie before. It never gets better.) Then we head to Georgia, where Governor Brian Kemp just announced he’s not running for Senate, potentially clearing the way for a possible run by none other than Marjorie Taylor Greene. Because apparently we’re trying to hit that “worst-case scenario.” And finally, we’ll cover the latest in the Diddy case, where jury selection has officially begun in what’s shaping up to be one of the most high-profile and controversial trials of the year. Politics, ego, and celebrity scandal...welcome to a typical Monday in America. 🍋 This episode is sponsored by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/donlemon and get on your way to being your best self. This episode is brought to you by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Whether you’ve always been secular or left religion behind, if you don’t want someone else dictating the trip for you, F-F-R-F has your back. Join us. Go to FFRF.US/Freedom or text the word, “DON” to five eleven five eleven and become a member today. Text fees may apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This weekend, Trump sat down with Kristen Welker, and—shocker—it went exactly how you'd expect. He made a parade of false and misleading claims, dodged every substantive question, and the moment he was actually pressed on facts? He whined that the interview was unfair. Because in Trump World, being held accountable = media bias. Same script, different day. Let’s get into it. This episode is sponsored by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/donlemon and get on your way to being your best self. This episode is brought to you by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Whether you’ve always been secular or left religion behind, if you don’t want someone else dictating the trip for you, F-F-R-F has your back. Join us. Go to FFRF.US/Freedom or text the word, “DON” to five eleven five eleven and become a member today. Text fees may apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to The Sour Lemon Special! Every week, we break down the most outrageous, corrupt, and downright awful behavior from the people in power—and this time, we’ve got a stacked lineup of contestants. Who will take home the title of this week’s Sour Lemon? You decide! Join Don and comedian Jay Jurden to break it all down! This episode is sponsored by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This morning, we’re diving into Trump’s increasingly authoritarian agenda because the vibes aren’t just bad, they’re fascist-adjacent. First up: Harvard. Trump’s declared war on the Ivy League, now threatening to revoke the university’s tax-exempt status because they didn’t align with his political narrative. Free speech? Academic freedom? Apparently not when it makes Dear Leader uncomfortable. Then there’s the Alien Enemies Act, a centuries-old law Trump is now using to deport people en masse. A federal judge just ruled that his use of the law exceeds its legal scope. So the question is: Will they listen to the courts? Or are we just tossing the Constitution out the window for good? Don breaks down the legal overreach, the political revenge, and how much longer this democracy can function with this level of power abuse. Spoiler: It’s not looking great. This episode is sponsored by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight on The Don Lemon Show, we’re breaking down the utter madness that is today’s news cycle because the Trump administration just pulled another political stunt straight out of the chaos playbook. First, Mike Waltz is out as National Security Advisor. Then, plot twist! He’s suddenly named U.N. Ambassador just hours later. And who’s filling in as National Security Advisor? None other than Marco Rubio, because apparently being Secretary of State just isn’t keeping him busy enough. Joining Don to make sense of the nonsense is Congressman Suhas Subramanyam, who’s been on the front lines pushing back against Trump’s policies and power grabs. It’s reshuffling, it’s reckless, and it’s all happening in real time. Buckle up, Lemon Nation. This episode is sponsored by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey there Lemon Community! Co-Founder and CEO of The Seneca Project, Tara Setmayer brings us this week's episode of The Setmayer Sound Off! Tara reflects on the last 100 days and breaks down how the democrats are reacting. While Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Senator Cory Booker are standing up to the Trump administration, others are busy bending the knee. Looking at you Chuck Schumer and Gretchen Whitmer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday, Trump held a Cabinet meeting to reflect on the first 100 days of his second term, and let’s just say, reality did not make the guest list. Despite sinking approval ratings and plummeting public support for everything from tariffs to mass deportations, the administration spent the entire meeting showering Trump with praise like it was a loyalty test, not a policy check-in. Don breaks down the bizarre back-patting session, the growing gap between MAGA world and actual America, and what it says about the state of leadership in 2025. Spoiler: the country’s on fire, and they’re toasting marshmallows. This episode is sponsored by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Don Lemon Show’s head writer Peter Rothpletz is back for Episode 2 of Snark & Awe! This time, he’s joined by Town & Country Contributing Editor Andrew Zucker to unpack the shifting tides in Gen Z’s political vibes. Is the generation that helped fuel the meme wars finally over MAGA? Are we witnessing the moment when Trumpism becomes… cringe? They break down the data, the discourse, and whether Gen Z is actually moving on, or just getting louder about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don sits down with Michael Fanone and Michael Cohen to break down the chaos that’s defined Trump’s first 100 days back in office, and spoiler...it’s not pretty. From spiraling economic turmoil and job-killing tariffs, to unconstitutional deportations and nonstop attacks on anyone who dares disagree, this presidency is already rewriting the definition of dysfunction. Whether it’s punishing critics, bulldozing legal norms, or turning the government into a revenge tour, one thing’s clear: the damage is real, and it’s only just begun. Join Don, Fanone, and Cohen as they unpack the madness and what it means for the future of the country (if there’s still one left to fix). This episode is sponsored by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices