Don Lemon’s lawsuit against Elon Musk and his social media platform X will be allowed to go to trial.
San Francisco Superior Court Judge Harold E. Kahn ruled in favor of Lemon on Tuesday. The case’s trial will be held at a yet-to-be determined date. The ruling comes months after Musk tried unsuccessfully in Dececmber 2024 to convince the court to move the case’s venue 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,” Lemon’s attorney, Carney Shegerian, said 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.”
The ruling, notably, comes the same week that former X CEO Linda Yaccarino resigned from the social media company after holding her executive position there for two years.
Lemon sued Musk in August 2024 over alleged fraud, misrepresentation, misappropriation and breach of contract, among other claims, after Musk unceremoniously canceled a content deal he’d made with Lemon.
The former CNN anchor alleges that he entered into a partnership deal with Twitter in which he would produce exclusive content for the platform. As part of a verbal agreement, Musk allegedly agreed to pay $1.5 million annually for Lemon’s exclusive content, along with cash incentives and a share of the advertising revenue generated by the journalist’s videos.
The deal was promoted by X, but Musk and Lemon’s relationship immediately soured when the Tesla CEO appeared on Lemon’s X show as his first guest.
During the ensuing interview, Musk was taken aback by Lemon’s questions about his reported drug use and political beliefs. Afterward, Musk reportedly texted Lemon’s agent “contract is canceled,” despite previously stating that Lemon would be “free to say whatever he would like” on X and that Musk would not be enforcing any kind of “editorial gestapo” on the platform.
“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 at the time. “He informed me of his decision hours after an interview I conducted with him on Friday.”
In court documents reviewed earlier this year by TheWrap, Musk said his partnership with Lemon was soured by the former TV anchor’s “invasive and charged interview.” The billionaire’s legal team contends that 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.”
Lemon’s lawsuit claims that Musk refused to pay him after canceling the content deal. The former CNN personality is seeking compensation for unspecified monetary damages.
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