Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley went viral Thursday after she torched “sexist middle-aged CNN” anchor Don Lemon for saying she wasn’t “in her prime” following her announcement that she’s running for president in 2024.
In a tweet, the 51-year-old former United Nations Ambassador called out Lemon for making the comment after she called on Americans to reject leaders “past” their “prime.”
“To be clear, I am NOT calling for competency tests for Sexist middle-aged CNN anchors; only for people who make our laws and are 75+,” Haley tweeted.
To be clear, I am NOT calling for competency tests for Sexist middle-aged CNN anchors; only for people who make our laws and are 75+. https://t.co/wvUNCcNdVt
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) February 16, 2023
During the CNN morning show Thursday, Lemon said “Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime. Sorry, when a woman is in their prime [is] in [her] 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.”
Lemon’s co-host Poppy Harlow knew the comment would create a stir and asked him to clarify. “What are you talking — Wait … prime for what?”
“That’s not according to me,” Lemon responded. “It depends. It’s just like, prime. If you look it up. If you Google when is a woman in her prime, it’ll say 20s, 30s, 40s.”
The CNN anchor later tweeted that his comments about Haley were “inartful and irrelevant.”
“The reference I made to a woman’s ‘prime’ this morning was inartfiul and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have point out, and I regret it,” Lemon’s tweet read. “A woman’s age doesn’t define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.”
The reference I made to a woman’s “prime” this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it. A woman’s age doesn't define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.
— Don Lemon (@donlemon) February 16, 2023
The former governor later doubled-down on her comments and told Fox News “Look, he [Lemon] made that comment, I wasn’t sitting there saying sexist, middle-aged, CNN anchors need to have mental competency tests, although he may have just proven that point.”
WATCH:
LEMON'S SEXIST 'WOMEN'S PRIME' REMARKS REBUTTAL FROM @NIKKIHALEY: "Look, he made that comment, I wasn't sitting there saying sexist, middle-aged, CNN anchors need to have mental competency tests, although he may have just proven that point…"@BillHemmer @SandraSmithFox pic.twitter.com/6Xx5Vc7bQO
— America's Newsroom (@AmericaNewsroom) February 17, 2023
“What I was saying is, we need to be transparent,” she added. “Those elected officials that are making key decisions for us Americans on national security and keeping our kids safe and the debt, yes we need to know exactly that we’re sending someone competent to do that. ”