A San Francisco judge has ruled that former CNN anchor Don Lemon may proceed with key parts of his lawsuit against Elon Musk, X (formerly Twitter), and former X CEO Linda Yaccarino. The legal dispute stems from the sudden termination of Lemon’s show deal with the social media platform, following a contentious interview with Musk in March 2024.
Judge Harold Kahn of the San Francisco Superior Court ruled that Lemon could pursue claims of fraud, breach of implied contract, misappropriation of name and likeness, and unjust enrichment. However, the court dismissed Lemon’s accusations of defamation, retaliation, negligence, and harassment. The ruling marks a legal setback for X’s defense while opening the door for Lemon to press forward in court.
Lemon filed the lawsuit after Musk abruptly canceled a content partnership between Lemon and the platform. The deal, reportedly struck in December 2023, promised Lemon $1.5 million, a 60 percent share of ad revenue, and bonuses based on his show’s performance metrics. Lemon was expected to announce the partnership during the CES conference in January, an event designed to draw advertising interest.
Despite the initial agreement, Musk terminated the deal via text message following a tense March 8 interview meant to debut Lemon’s show on X. Lemon’s team alleges that X reneged on verbal assurances from Musk that a signed contract was not required to enforce the agreement. Brett Weitz, head of content at X, later told Lemon that the platform would not honor the arrangement due to the lack of formal documentation.
Judge Kahn’s ruling also allows Lemon to amend and refile a claim of breach of express contract. The current lawsuit lacked clarity on whether the agreement was oral, written, or implied. Meanwhile, the court rejected Lemon’s defamation claim, which was based on Musk comparing him to the fictional character Veruca Salt—a reference the judge found insufficient to support a legal claim.
Lemon’s attorney Carney Shegerian praised the decision, saying, “Musk is subject to the legal process, just like everyone else.” The case now advances with Musk and X facing formal discovery and potential trial proceedings.
