Don Lemon thinks he knows who’s been spilling the secrets to Trump’s White House.
The former CNN anchor singled out Vice President JD Vance as the administration’s alleged “biggest leaker” during a discussion about a string of insider accounts that have consistently cast the veep as the voice of reason inside Donald Trump’s orbit.
Speaking on the Legal AF podcast, Lemon discussed reports that Trump has become increasingly frustrated by leaks from inside his administration, including details of a reported Situation Room “freakout” over the Jeffrey Epstein files.
The episode is described in Regime Change, a forthcoming book by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, which chronicles Trump’s second term and the power struggles unfolding behind the scenes.
“J.D. Vance is like the biggest leaker of them all,” Lemon told host Michael Popok.
He added that the perception was based on what “many people have said and according to some of the reporting.”
Lemon acknowledged Trump himself could be responsible for some leaks.
“Donald Trump could very well be one of the people who leaked to Maggie Haberman,” he said, suggesting the president sometimes reveals information without realizing it.
But Lemon argued Vance stands out because he consistently emerges from damaging insider accounts looking better than everyone else.
Lemon cited reports around Trump’s decision-making on Iran, which portrayed Vance as one of the few senior officials voicing reservations about military action.
“Remember, the reporting was that JD Vance was the only one in the room who was against it,” Lemon said.
“It’s like, well, how does JD Vance always come out looking better than anyone?”
Lemon’s comments come as excerpts from Regime Change continue to generate headlines ahead of the book’s release on Monday.
The former CNN anchor also praised Haberman, calling her “the gold standard of reporters” and arguing her coverage of Trump has been accurate “since the very beginning.”
But he warned the book’s publication could trigger a fierce response from the Trump administration.
“They’re up against the Justice Department of the United States,” Lemon said.
“They’re up against the government of the United States.”
He predicted Trump allies would argue some of the information was classified and attempt to identify and prosecute whoever leaked it.
“I think they’re up against the full Justice Department and there’s gonna be a big shakeup,” Lemon said.
“So look out to see possibly some indictments coming for them. I hope it doesn’t happen, but that’s what I think.”
The Daily Beast reached out to the White House for comment.
