Former CNN anchor Don Lemon says he’s thought about running for president — and believes he could outperform President Donald Trump if given the chance. According to Mediaite, during an appearance on the Pod Save America podcast with guest host Alex Wagner, Lemon acknowledged the idea might sound far-fetched to some but said he’s considered the possibility.
“People are going to laugh,” he admitted while claiming, “I think I could be president of the United States. I could definitely run this country better than [President] Donald Trump.”
While emphasizing that he has no immediate plans to launch a campaign, Lemon said the idea isn’t completely off the table. “Do I ever think about it? Yes. Could it happen? Yeah, it could happen if the opportunity presented itself, the right opportunity presented itself,” he said, adding ,“Am I at that point now? No. And I know people are going to say Don Lemon is crazy.”
If he did run, Lemon said he would do so as a Democrat, noting he would need to switch his current independent registration. He also argued that minority candidates often face much greater scrutiny than their white counterparts.
“Why can’t I think about running for office? Why can’t I think about being president when I look at what we have?” Lemon asked during the interview.
The former CNN host pointed to Barack Obama’s rise to the presidency as an example as to why he shouldn’t be underestimated. “Did anybody think Barack Obama, as he says, this guy with a funny name is from a mixed background, did anybody ever think that he would become president, that he had that aspiration?”
“I don’t have an aspiration to become president,” Lemon noted, “but I do think that I could run this country a lot better than Donald Trump.”
Lemon’s comments come as he faces federal charges related to his involvement in an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church earlier this year. He pleaded not guilty last month, contending he was present only as a journalist covering the demonstration. Lemon accused the Trump-era Justice Department of attempting to intimidate him.