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‘Match In Powder Barrel’: On-Air Fight With Vivek Ramaswamy Factored Into Lemon Firing: REPORT

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Former CNN Host Don Lemon’s heated exchange with presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy reportedly played a role in the network’s decision to part ways on Monday, according to The New York Times.

Lemon’s clash with Ramaswamy “left several CNN leaders exasperated,” according The New York Times. Lemon’s tenure at CNN was reportedly already on shaky ground after comments he made in February about 51-year-old presidential candidate Nikki Haley not being “in her prime.” (REPORT: ‘Good News’: Donald Trump Reacts To CNN Ouster Of Don Lemon)

The exchange with Ramaswamy occurred on April 19 during a debate on gun rights and the black community. Lemon took issue with Ramaswamy’s statements at an NRA conference in which Ramaswamy said that southern Democrats established gun laws to limit black people’s ability to defend themselves after the Civil War. He claimed that he felt “insulted” by Ramaswamy’s comments and that Ramaswamy had no right to speak on the black experience.

“I think it’s insulting that you’re sitting here – whatever ethnicity you are – ‘splaining to me about what it’s like to be Black in America. I’m sorry,” Lemon said to Ramaswamy.

A spokesperson from Ramaswamy’s campaign said in a statement to The Daily Caller that his interview with Lemon “seems” to have played a role in CNN’s decision.

“Of course, we don’t know the internal executive discussions at CNN, though it certainly seems Vivek was the match in powder barrel,” a spokesperson for Ramaswamy told the The Daily Caller.

“Vivek is on a mission to revive free speech and open debate in this country; antithetical to Don Lemon’s ‘reporting’ style that was on full display in his meltdown when Vivek schooled him on civil rights history last week. Vivek will continue going on any network to debate the other side and revive the ideals that make this country great.”