Don Lemon defended his interview with Elon Musk on Wednesday by naming two other media figures he could speak to after their testy exchange led to the cancellation of the former CNN hosts partnership with X .

The interview was precisely what Elon has long claimed that he wants to make a home for on X: a free exchange of ideas. We dug into serious issues. The nuances of the electoral college, the future of automotives, the complexities of DEI, even our own personal battles with depression, he said during the most recent episode of The Don Lemon Show.

Did he really expect for me to simply lavish him with praise for an hour? If so, he couldve sat down with Megyn Kelly or Tucker Carlson .

Lemons remarks come after Musk abruptly axed the proposed partnership on his platform following an interview where the former CNN host pressed the billionaire on his posts regarding the antisemitic great replacement theory and about advertisers who have left X.

Well, you are upsetting me, because the way youre phrasing questions I think is not cogent, said Musk in one clip from the interview.

Musk, following an announcement about X canceling its partnership with the show, described Lemon as having an approach that was basically just CNN, but on social media.

Lemon, in an appearance on Mediaites Press Club podcast , told Aidan McLaughlin that he found Musks remarks very telling.

Thats why he hired me, said Lemon, adding that Carlson whom he referred to as another former cable news anchor on the platform is doing exactly what he did on Fox News .

Lemon, during his show, said Musk opted to have a sit down with an independent journalist for a real conversation.

Im glad he did it and if he chooses to watch the whole interview, hell come to appreciate just how valuable our discussion was, Lemon said.