Don Lemon Sues Elon Musk And X Over Canceled $1.5M Deal
Former CNN journalist Don Lemon has filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk and X (formerly known as Twitter), accusing them of fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and breach of contract.
The lawsuit, filed on August 1 in the Superior Court of California for the County of San Francisco, follows the abrupt cancellation of a content partnership deal between Lemon and X.
Allegations of Fraud and Breach of Contract
According to the lawsuit, Musk and X agreed to a content partnership with Lemon in January 2024, where Lemon was to host an exclusive interview show and produce original content for the platform.
The deal, worth $1.5 million per year, was to be paid in installments, with $200,000 upfront and the remainder in quarterly payments.
Additionally, the agreement included performance bonuses, advertising credits, and revenue shares from advertisements generated by Lemon’s content.
However, in March 2024, Musk allegedly canceled the partnership via a text message to Lemon’s agent, stating simply, “contract is canceled.”
The lawsuit claims that this sudden termination caused significant reputational damage to Lemon and amounted to a breach of the express contract.
Musk’s Response and Contentious Interview
The lawsuit also references a contentious interview between Lemon and Musk, which reportedly led to the deal’s cancellation.
Lemon’s attorneys claim that Musk backed out of the agreement just hours after the interview took place.
Musk, who has a significant following on X, has been critical of Lemon since the partnership’s termination, even using a lemon emoji to disparage him in a post.
Despite the lack of a formal written agreement, Lemon’s attorneys argue that Musk assured Lemon he would have full control over his work and that a formal contract was unnecessary.
Lemon expressed initial reservations about partnering with X due to its ongoing controversies, but he was convinced by Musk’s assurances of creative control.
Seeking Damages and Accountability
Lemon is seeking unspecified monetary damages for the alleged fraud and breach of contract.
“X executives used Don to prop up their advertising sales pitch, then canceled their partnership and dragged Don’s name through the mud,” said Lemon’s attorney, Carney Shegerian in a statement according to Variety.
“Don is an accomplished and hard-hitting journalist who’s committed to defending his good name and holding X’s executives accountable. We look forward to our day in court.”
As of now, representatives for X have not responded to requests for comment.
Feature Image Credit: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
