Longtime CNN host Don Lemon has enjoyed massive increases in his YouTube and Substack subscription counts in the weeks following his Jan. 30 arrest for his presence at an anti-United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement protest at a Minnesota church.
The Washington Post recently reported that Lemon has seen a 73% increase in Substack subscribers, and his total number of followers has surpassed 140,000. That includes a paid tier of $8 per month to join “Lemon Nation.”
If you prefer to catch Lemon on YouTube, you’re not alone. Lemon has reportedly added another 140,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel, and he sits at 1.24 million subscribers as of Feb. 18. He has also reportedly gained 300,000 Instagram followers since his arrest.
Although the Washington Post initially shared the increased totals on Feb. 14, the story received another bump on Wednesday via BarrettMedia.
Don Lemon sees massive increase in Substack subscribers following his arresthttps://t.co/Vlspb3ayE2
— Barrett Media (@Barrett_Media) February 18, 2026
Even if those numbers might be inflated by bots or people who are hate-watching (or hate-subscribing), it’s nonetheless clear that Lemon’s arrest — and the resulting media spotlight — is paying dividends for his career. Lemon has propelled himself back into the national consciousness and relevancy in a way not seen since CNN fired him in April 2023.
Lemon’s YouTube traffic remains impressive yet inconsistent, with some videos easily clearing 80,000 views and others struggling to pass 30,000. As expected, he’s continued covering Donald Trump and the MAGA community, though he’s also chimed in on Bad Bunny and the Super Bowl halftime show, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, and other hot-button topics. To his credit, Lemon has not been afraid to criticize the Trump Administration following his arrest.
Lemon pleaded not guilty last week to charges of two federal crimes: conspiring to violate someone’s constitutional rights and violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act of 1994, which prohibits protesters from using force against, obstructing, or attempting to intimidate anyone operating at reproductive health clinics or places of worship.
Don Lemon and his activist comrades were not engaged in First Amendment–protected activity when they raided a Minneapolis church. It was a coordinated effort to violate the rights of the Christians in that church and to harass them.@tzsmith pic.twitter.com/Qwrm22cZX9
— Heritage Foundation (@Heritage) February 17, 2026
Although Lemon attended the anti-ICE protest, he has argued he did so as an independent journalist rather than a participant. Lemon interviewed protestors and churchgoers during the Jan. 18 incident, and videos depicted protestors screaming at the pastor and yelling phrases such as “ICE OUT.” One pastor repeatedly asked Lemon and the protestors to leave.
“The First Amendment, the freedom of the press, is the bedrock of our democracy,” Lemon said after pleading not guilty. “People are finally realizing what this administration is all about. The process is the punishment with them. I will not be intimidated. I will not back down. I will fight these baseless charges, and I will not be silenced.”
Lemon, civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, and independent journalist Georgia Fort are among the nine defendants who have entered not-guilty pleas. CNN previously issued a statement in support of Lemon following his arrest.
