Eating His Words: Don Lemon ‘Regretful’ About Ageist Comments Saying Women Over 50 Aren’t in Their Prime

Don Lemon is eating his words after some comments he made didn’t age well.

The Hill reported the 56-year-old CNN anchor claims he regrets making comments about women in their “prime.”

Referencing Republican presidential candidate, Nikki Haley, Lemon didn’t like the fact that she is throwing herself back in the ring for a presidential run.

“This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable. I think it’s the wrong road to go down,” Lemon said. “She says people, you know, politicians or something are not in their prime,” he continued. “Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime, sorry. A woman is considered to be in their prime in 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.”

Haley is 51-years-old. After receiving backlash, the CNN This Morning co-host apologized for his commentary via Twitter, saying his comments were “inartful.”

The reference I made to a woman’s “prime” this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it. A woman’s age doesn’t define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.

— Don Lemon (@donlemon) February 16, 2023

His female cohosts, as well as people online, immediately jumped to Haley’s defense. Fans of the politician and the Republican Party put Lemon in the hot seat.

I just “googled” and found out that I’m a year older than @NikkiHaley.

According to @donlemon all women aged 50 and up are “past our prime!”

I’d argue we’re just getting started!

— Janice Dean (@JaniceDean) February 16, 2023

.@NikkiHaley is 51. Why didn’t you Google Hillary Clinton’s age, @donlemon? pic.twitter.com/TbnObmpL1o

— Ian Haworth (@ighaworth) February 16, 2023

The former South Carolina politician’s team caught wind of the comments and chimed in, sending an email to CNN directly. “Liberals can’t stand the idea of having competency tests for older politicians to make sure they can do the job,” Haley wrote. “By the way, it’s always the liberals who are the most sexist.”

“Did you see what CNN liberal Don Lemon said this morning?”

Nikki Haley campaign now fundraising off of Don Lemon’s woman “in her prime” moment.

More from the email: pic.twitter.com/pdsJ3e1mlQ

— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) February 16, 2023