Don Lemon Slams Trump IRS Settlement Double Standard

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon isn’t holding back his thoughts on the recent legal settlement involving Donald Trump and the IRS. He’s calling out what he sees as a glaring double standard, especially when comparing how such a situation might be handled if a Black president were involved.

Lemon Questions Trump’s IRS Settlement

The controversy stems from reports that Trump settled a lawsuit against the IRS. This case was reportedly tied to the unlawful disclosure of his tax information during his presidency. Trump had initially sought a massive $10 billion in damages, but the matter was resolved through a settlement he referred to as part of a “weaponization fund.”

During his show, “The Don Lemon Show,” Lemon questioned the implications of this settlement, particularly the lack of congressional oversight on the fund. He posed a hypothetical scenario that really drives his point home.

A Stark Hypothetical: Obama vs. Trump

Lemon vividly imagined the outcry if former President Barack Obama had engaged in similar actions. “If Barack Obama had sued his own government, settled with himself in secret, created a billion-dollar fund—almost a $2B fund—with no congressional oversight to pay political allies, what would have happened?” he asked.

Y’all know exactly what would’ve happened. They would not have waited for a monologue, they would have had him in chains before sundown. Every network, every Republican, every talk radio host from here to Tulsa screaming, ‘Treason!’ — Don Lemon

He asserted that conservative media and Republican lawmakers would have reacted with extreme severity, labeling such actions as “treason.” This stark contrast, Lemon suggests, highlights a significant double standard in how public figures, particularly those of color, are treated.

Debate Ignites Online

Lemon’s commentary quickly went viral, sparking a lively debate across social media. Supporters applauded his willingness to address perceived political double standards and call for accountability. However, critics accused him of exaggerating the situation and injecting partisan politics into the discussion.

The original lawsuit against the IRS stemmed from a contractor’s unauthorized disclosure of Trump’s tax records, an act for which the contractor was later criminally charged. Even some Democratic lawmakers have raised questions about the structure and oversight of the settlement itself.