Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

LetMyPeopleVote

(177,271 posts)
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 05:58 PM 10 hrs ago

Trump officials condemned Don Lemon. He's bigger than ever after arrest. (gift article)

The administration’s attacks on Lemon and independent journalists have boosted their online attention and revenue.

Trump officials condemned Don Lemon. He’s bigger than ever after arrest.

The administration’s attacks on Lemon and independent journalists have boosted their online attention and revenue.

www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

H. Walter Muchow (@hwm777.bsky.social) 2026-02-14T21:32:33.033Z

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/02/14/don-lemon-arrest-trump-administration/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzcxMDQ1MjAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzcyNDI3NTk5LCJpYXQiOjE3NzEwNDUyMDAsImp0aSI6IjM5MTBmNGE3LTFkODAtNGU5ZC1hNjYwLTZkMjRjZTM4NDQ2ZCIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS90ZWNobm9sb2d5LzIwMjYvMDIvMTQvZG9uLWxlbW9uLWFycmVzdC10cnVtcC1hZG1pbmlzdHJhdGlvbi8ifQ.0O0DVVzl9vz-ETh8jYuChcoKP41tgy9LNqVGKEdHkkE

But in the nearly two weeks since he was taken into custody, Lemon has enjoyed a triumph of his own. A new audience galvanized by the arrest has flooded his online-media empire, earning him more than 300,000 new followers on Instagram and 140,000 new subscribers on YouTube.

His Substack business has soared 73 percent to more than 140,000 subscribers, many of whom pay $8 a month to be a part of “Lemon Nation.” His online store has even started offering a new line of merchandise: tees, stickers and $55 sweatshirts labeled “We Will Not Be Silenced.”

“I think they did not expect public sentiment to go the way it’s going,” Lemon told The Washington Post in an interview. “They elevated me when they tried to demean me and demote me.”

Lemon’s arrest cast a spotlight on the increasingly aggressive ways the Trump administration has attacked the press, from filing billion-dollar lawsuits to lobbing insults and presenting an official White House “Hall of Shame” for what it says are the worst “media offenders.”....

Lemon declined to talk about his income or company’s revenue but said he’s “very happy” with its growth. In August, he told Variety he was on pace to surpass what he was making at CNN.

Besides YouTube revenue, Lemon said the Lemon Media Network has been able to monetize through his online store, where fans, known as “Lemonheads,” are told they can support independent journalism by buying merchandise like a “Turn the TV Off” T-shirt. (The proceeds from the “We Will Not Be Silenced” collection will go to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a Lemon representative said.)
5 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Trump officials condemned Don Lemon. He's bigger than ever after arrest. (gift article) (Original Post) LetMyPeopleVote 10 hrs ago OP
Lemon is right on....those fucking idiots did him a HUGE democratsruletheday 9 hrs ago #1
I was never much a fan of Lemon. Several times, on CNN, I heard him loudly proclaim, "I am not a liberal." Intractable 9 hrs ago #2
Monk Pannakara says "If someone throws lemons at you make lemonade it's high in Vitamin C" MagickMuffin 9 hrs ago #3
K&R MustLoveBeagles 9 hrs ago #4
The participants were indicted together Renew Deal 8 hrs ago #5

democratsruletheday

(1,842 posts)
1. Lemon is right on....those fucking idiots did him a HUGE
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 07:09 PM
9 hrs ago

favor by demonizing him. Now he's blowing UP....LOFL

Intractable

(1,797 posts)
2. I was never much a fan of Lemon. Several times, on CNN, I heard him loudly proclaim, "I am not a liberal."
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 07:33 PM
9 hrs ago

And the on-air bromance with Cuomo, at times, was a bit much.

But, thanks to Trump, Lemon is back on the map for me.

MagickMuffin

(18,276 posts)
3. Monk Pannakara says "If someone throws lemons at you make lemonade it's high in Vitamin C"
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 07:43 PM
9 hrs ago


"If someone throws rocks at you place them in your garden"

"If someone throws rocks at you place them in your garden"


Take away the power of hate and use it to our advantage. Don't acknowledge their hate, instead transform it into something beautiful.

Here's his own words:

In a message delivered around Day 112 of his walk for peace in the United States (approx. February 15, 2026), Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara shared a teaching on how to handle life's challenges, using lemons and bitter melons as metaphors.

Make Lemonade: Pannakara advised that when the world throws "lemons" or "bittermelons" (symbolizing suffering, challenges, and burdens) at us, we should collect them rather than react with anger.

Transform Suffering: He encouraged transforming these difficult experiences into something positive, such as making lemonade to get "vitamin C" or cooking the bitter melons for health benefits (which are good for diabetes), metaphorically turning obstacles into wisdom.

Mindfulness over Reaction: He emphasized that by staying calm, patient, and mindful, we can process negative experiences without letting them disturb our inner peace.

This message is part of a broader teaching on maintaining equanimity in the face of adversity, urging people to stop multitasking, reduce phone usage, and practice daily mindfulness.


Renew Deal

(84,797 posts)
5. The participants were indicted together
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 08:51 PM
8 hrs ago

Will they tried together? And will the trail take place in Minnesota? I doubt they can get a conviction.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Trump officials condemned...