Don Lemon says he has considered a future run for president and believes he could do the job better than Donald Trump.
During an appearance a recent episode of Pod Save America, Lemon was asked by guest host Alex Wagner whether he would ever run for office.
“I hear that all the time,” Lemon said.
The former CNN anchor admitted he has concerns about entering politics, including the scrutiny that comes with a campaign. “Why would I invite even more criticism?” he said. “Why would I want to ruin my life with people digging into everything about me?” Still, Lemon said he has thought seriously about the possibility.
“Do I ever think about it? Yes,” he said. “Could it happen? Yeah, it could happen if the opportunity presented itself.”
Lemon also argued that Black candidates and women face harsher standards than white men in politics.
“The rules are different for me,” he said. “White men get away with way more than women or Black people or any minority.” Later in the interview, Lemon said he expects people to mock the idea of him running.
“I think I could be president of the United States,” he said. “I could definitely run this country better than Donald Trump.”
Lemon added that if he ever ran, he would likely need to join the Democratic Party. Lemon isn’t the only media personality who has flirted with the idea of running for office. Stephen A. Smith has toyed with the idea on several occasions, though he now says he has changed his mind.