By Molly Claire Goddard
7:25am PDT, Jul 11, 2025
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Don Lemon is free to move forward with his lawsuit against
Elon Musk.
After the former CNN anchor sued the billionaire in 2024 over their defunct X deal, a San Francisco judge ruled Lemon could proceed with the legal action and the case could go to trial.
Keep reading to learn about the left-leaning reporter's victory over Musk…MORE:
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San Francisco Superior Court Judge Harold E. Kahn ruled in Don Lemon's favor, and a trial date is currently pending. In December 2024, Elon Musk tried to have the case moved to Texas.
"The ruling means Don can hold X and Musk accountable in open court. Musk is subject to the legal process, just like everyone else and that's important," the media personality's attorney Carney Shegerian pointed out in a statement. "There's no question about Musk's motives and liability, as documented in his own texts and on X for millions to see."
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In August 2024, Don Lemon filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk, accusing him of fraud, misrepresentation, misappropriation and breach of contract after the X owner abruptly canceled a deal he made with the television star to produce exclusive content for the platform.
Per the suit, Musk verbally agreed to pay Lemon $1.5 million annually to create exclusive content for X, with additional compensation if the advertising revenue was high.
However, after the deal went south, the 59-year-old claims the SpaceX founder did not pay him. Now, Lemon is seeking compensation for unspecified monetary damages.
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Elon Musk terminated his deal with Don Lemon after the two sat down for an interview for the journalist's X show. After Lemon asked Musk questions about his political beliefs and alleged drug habits, the Tesla founder ended the contract.
"Elon Musk has canceled the partnership I had with X, which they announced as part of their public commitment to amplifying more diverse voices on their platform," Lemon said in a statement after the fallout. "He informed me of his decision hours after an interview I conducted with him on Friday."
According to Musk's attorneys, Lemon "repeatedly — and publicly — interrogated Musk in a sprawling interview about, among other topics, his ability to run his companies, including X; his political and ethical beliefs, his mental health and his use of prescription medication."
