A federal judge has ruled that former CNN anchor Don Lemon’s lawsuit against Elon Musk and social media platform X (formerly Twitter) can proceed, sparking widespread public interest.

The lawsuit, originally filed in early 2025, accuses Musk and X of wrongful termination, breach of contract, and defamation following the sudden cancellation of Lemon’s high-profile show on the platform. Lemon’s legal team claims that after conducting an interview with Musk that turned confrontational, the show was abruptly dropped, violating agreed-upon terms.

In his ruling this week, the judge rejected Musk’s motion to dismiss the case, stating there is enough evidence for the claims to be evaluated in court. This means the lawsuit will now move forward to discovery and potentially trial.
Neither Musk nor X has issued a public statement regarding the judge’s decision. Don Lemon, for his part, expressed on social media that he feels “encouraged” and believes “the truth will come out.”
The case is expected to draw significant attention in the coming months, as it touches on free speech, corporate responsibility, and the growing intersection between media personalities and tech giants.