What started as a bold new partnership between two headline-grabbing figures—Don Lemon and Elon Musk—has now spiraled into a courtroom drama that’s heading straight to trial in California.
A judge has officially ruled that Lemon’s lawsuit against Musk and the social media platform X can move forward, despite efforts by Musk’s legal team to shift the case to Texas.
Judge Shuts Down Musk’s Attempt to Change Court Location
On Thursday, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Harold E. Kahn denied Musk’s motion to move the trial to Texas, where X is based.
That means the case will now play out publicly in a California courtroom.
Lemon’s attorney, Carney Shegerian, called the decision a win for accountability.
“This means Don can take Elon and X to court in full view of the public,” Shegerian said.
“Musk doesn’t get a special pass—he’s just as accountable to the legal system as anyone else.”
The Lawsuit That Sparked It All
The legal battle stems from a rocky partnership that fell apart almost instantly.
In 2023, Don Lemon was let go from CNN after a 17-year run.
Looking to reinvent his career, he signed on with Musk’s X to launch a new talk show.
But things derailed fast—within hours of filming the debut episode, Musk cancelled the deal.
The lawsuit Lemon filed shortly after alleges fraud, misrepresentation, and breach of contract, claiming Musk backed out purely because he didn’t like the content of their first interview—especially the parts where Lemon challenged him.
The Interview That Blew Everything Up
The tension between them really boiled over during their first—and only—on-camera interview in March 2024.
Lemon grilled Musk on hot-button topics including hate speech on X, Musk’s political views, and even his use of the drug ketamine for depression.
Musk, visibly annoyed, snapped back, “It’s pretty private to ask somebody about a medical prescription,” and the tone of the conversation quickly soured.
According to Lemon, he was just doing his job—asking the kinds of questions journalists are supposed to ask.
He claims Musk had placed no restrictions on the interview.
Musk’s Public Response Was Brutal
After filming wrapped, Musk took to X to slam the interview and Lemon’s style.
He wrote that Lemon’s approach was basically “CNN on social media” and that it lacked authenticity, accusing him of being a mouthpiece for former CNN boss Jeff Zucker.
“Even though I think Don is a pompous fool,” Musk posted, “he is still free to upload his show to X and receive advertising revenue.”
Lemon Fires Back
Lemon didn’t take those remarks lightly. He accused Musk of being a hypocrite and said Musk’s vision of a “global town square” didn’t include tough questions from people like him.
“He claims to support free speech—but not when it’s aimed at him,” Lemon posted.
He later appeared on a podcast and suggested Musk is trapped in a right-wing echo chamber, unwilling to hear opposing views.
Despite being dropped, Lemon aired the interview anyway and has since relaunched The Don Lemon Show independently on YouTube and TikTok.
Behind-the-Scenes Fallout and More Legal Drama
Musk’s legal team tried to move the trial to Texas, where X is headquartered.
But Judge Kahn ruled against that move, keeping the case in California where it was originally filed.
This opens the door for a full civil trial that could reveal private texts, emails, and the inner workings of their collapsed partnership.
Lemon’s legal team believes this lawsuit could become a pivotal moment in holding Musk accountable not just as a businessman, but as someone who wields enormous influence over public discourse.
X Says It Was Just a Business Decision
In its defense, the company maintains it simply decided not to move forward with the show.
“Like any business, we reserve the right to make decisions about partnerships,” an X spokesperson said.
“After consideration, we opted not to proceed.”
But Lemon’s side insists the deal had already been sealed—and that Musk canceled it purely out of ego and frustration at being challenged in public.
From Bold Idea to Rapid Meltdown
The whole project started as an ambitious move: a legacy TV anchor trying to reinvent himself on a platform that champions “free speech.” But it fizzled out quickly.
Sources told The New York Post that Musk found the pilot episode dull and disjointed.
Others close to the situation believe the real issue was simply that Musk didn’t like being questioned on his own turf.
“I thought we had a good conversation,” Lemon said.
“But once the cameras stopped rolling, everything changed.”