President Donald Trump reacted Saturday to the arrest of former CNN host Don Lemon, offering blunt commentary while insisting he had no prior involvement or knowledge of the federal case.
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he was unaware of the situation until it became public. However, the president suggested the sudden attention may benefit Lemon personally, noting that the former television host had largely faded from public view in recent years.
Trump criticized Lemon’s past media career, arguing that the arrest has placed him back in the national spotlight. “From his perspective, this probably puts him back in the news,” Trump said, while emphasizing that he had no role in the arrest or investigation.
Lemon was taken into custody late Thursday in Los Angeles and formally indicted Friday on federal civil-rights-related charges. The charges stem from a January protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, where demonstrators interrupted a worship service to protest immigration enforcement policies.
According to authorities, the protest targeted a pastor who reportedly also served as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer. Federal prosecutors allege that participants crossed legal boundaries by disrupting a religious service, while Lemon has maintained that he was present strictly in a journalistic capacity.
Several others were also charged in connection with the incident, including independent journalist Georgia Fort. Supporters of Lemon argue the case raises serious First Amendment concerns, while critics say the charges underscore that no individual is above the law.
The case unfolds amid heightened scrutiny of federal immigration operations in Minnesota, following two separate, deadly encounters involving immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis earlier this month. Those incidents have intensified public debate over enforcement tactics, accountability, and media involvement in protest activity.
As the legal process moves forward, the situation continues to fuel broader national discussions about press freedom, law enforcement authority, and political bias within legacy media.