Don Lemon is clapping back at Nicki Minaj after she called him a homophobic slur.
On Sunday, Jan. 18, Lemon shared video footage on Bluesy from a protest at a local church in the Twin Cities Bluesky. Activists interrupted a service at a church where David Easterwood, an ICE agent, is the pastor.
“Minneapolis activists disrupted a church service where David Easterwood serves as a pastor, according to lawyer and activist @nekimal. Easterwood is also the acting field office director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in St. Paul, Minnesota,” Lemon wrote.
Minaj reacted to Lemon’s coverage overnight in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“DON ‘C— SUCKIN’ LEMON IS DISGUSTING,” Minaj wrote with a photo of a Cjucky doll. “HOW DARE YOU? I WANT THAT THUG IN JAIL!!!!! HE WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO ANY OTHER RELIGION. LOCK HIM UP!!!!!”
Lemon, who is openly gay, responded to Minaj in an interview with TMZ, calling her “homophobic” and “bigoted.”
“I’m not surprised Nicki Minaj does not understand journalism. And is weighing in on matters that are above her capacity,” Lemon said. “However, the more appropriate image for her post is a ‘Pick Me’ Doll’ because Nicki Minaj is a pick me. She will do anything that is expedient for her politically. And again, she’s ignorant. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She’s always weighing in on things that she doesn’t know about. Nicki Minaj should just sit the f**k down.”
Lemon also had words for Donald Trump after the president put him “on notice” following the protests.
“This is what the First Amendment is about, the freedom to protest,” Lemon said. “I’m sure people here don’t like it, but protests are not comfortable.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon criticizes Lemon’s involvement in posting to X (formerly Twitter).
“A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest! It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws! Nor does the First Amendment protect your pseudo-journalism of disrupting a prayer service. You are on notice!”
Lemon responded to the warning in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“It’s notable that I’ve been cast as the face of a protest I was covering as a journalist. Especially since I wasn’t the only reporter there,” Lemon’s statement read. “That framing is telling.”
“What’s even more telling is the barrage of violent threats, along with homophobic and racist slurs, directed at me online by MAGA supporters and amplified by parts of the right-wing press,” he continued.