Federal agents arrested former CNN anchor Don Lemon on charges related to violating federal law, an absolutely stunning development that came only after a federal judge had already refused to sign off on the initial arrest warrant.
Lemon, who was in Los Angeles covering the Grammy awards when he was taken into custody, wasn’t the only journalist targeted. Independent reporter Georgia Fort was also arrested. Fort posted a video to her social channel claiming federal agents were at her door, noting she was being arrested simply for filming the protest a few weeks prior.
“It’s hard to understand how we have constitutional rights when you can just be arrested for being a member of the press,” she told her followers. The charges stem from a protest Lemon attended and filmed on January 18 at a church in Minnesota, according to The Guardian.
The feds don’t want you holding them accountable
On his online streaming show’s YouTube channel, Lemon showed demonstrators disrupting a church service. The married journalist interviewed one demonstrator who described their actions as a clandestine operation meant to disrupt “business as usual” at a surprise location.
Lemon mentioned during the interaction that protesters had chosen that specific church because someone there was a member of ICE. Three demonstrators have already been arrested in connection with the protest on charges of conspiring to interfere with the civil rights of others.
Arresting a journalist is a blatant attempt to intimidate and a further indicator of Trump’s authoritarianism. It goes against the most fundamental American values outlined in the First Amendment.
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) January 30, 2026
Don Lemon has been on the ground in Minnesota like hundreds of others doing the…
This entire situation is truly alarming, especially when you look at the background. The Justice Department, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, is pushing these arrests despite having been rejected twice already. A federal magistrate judge took the highly unusual step of declining to sign off on the warrant for Lemon and several other journalists last week, stating there was “no evidence” of criminal behavior in their work.
Lemon’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, didn’t hold back in his criticism of the administration’s actions. Lowell pointed out that Lemon has been a journalist for 30 years and his work in Minneapolis was no different than what he’s always done. He stated, “The first amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.”
Lowell went on to blast the Trump Justice Department for using its resources on this arrest “instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters.” He called the arrest an “unprecedented attack on the first amendment and transparent attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration.” Lowell promised that Lemon would fight these charges “vigorously and thoroughly in court.”
Even Lemon’s former employer, CNN, condemned the move, stating the arrest “raises profoundly concerning questions about press freedom and the first amendment.” They reminded everyone that a chief judge had already found there was no evidence of criminal behavior and called the DOJ’s attempts to violate constitutional rights “unacceptable.”
Members of Congress were equally critical. House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries said that there is “zero basis to arrest him and he should be freed immediately.” Senator Cory Booker chimed in, saying that “arresting a journalist is a blatant attempt to intimidate and a further indicator of Trump’s authoritarianism.”
Despite Lemon once being praised by Elon Musk, President Trump himself has weighed in on the situation, previously calling Lemon a “loser, lightweight.” During a White House press briefing, President Trump expressed respect for the church’s pastor, saying, “I saw him the way he walked in that church, it was terrible. He was so calm, he was so nice. He was just accosted. What they did in that church was horrible.”
