Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley celebrated Don Lemon’s departure from CNN after the two feuded over Lemon suggesting that women over the age of 50 are no longer in their “prime.”
“A great day for women everywhere. Now, let’s get men out of women’s sports. #StillInMyPrime,” Haley said on Twitter, using Lemon’s firing to promote the removal of transgender athletes from women’s sports.
Her tweet featured a photo of two cans of lemonade with koozies that read, “Past My Prime?” and “Hold My Beer” with “Nikki Haley for President” — along with a link to a campaign store where supporters of her presidential bid could purchase them.
The former South Carolina governor’s reaction came just after the news broke on Monday of Lemon leaving CNN. CNN president Chris Licht said the network and Lemon were “parting ways,” while Lemon said he was “terminated” by his former employer.
Lemon has been a co-host of “CNN This Morning” with Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow.
Haley’s ire with Lemon dates to the start of her presidential campaign in February.
When Haley proposed a competency test for politicians over 75 years old, Lemon responded at the time on the morning show: “Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime. Sorry. When a woman is considered to be in her prime — in her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s.”
Lemon’s comments sparked instant pushback from his female co-hosts and were widely mocked across social media. CNN faced uproar over the comments and reportedly struggled to book guests on the morning show after the fact.
Haley, 51, shared a video clip at the time, claiming “it’s always the liberals who are the most sexist,” and she sent a fundraising email blasting Lemon.
Just minutes before the Lemon news on Monday, Fox News announced that Tucker Carlson and the company had “mutually agreed” to part days.