On the evening of Tuesday, December 15, Don Lemon went viral for his frustrated dismissal of Kayleigh McEnany's incessant lies from the White House podium.
After McEnany refused to respond to questions about whether President Trump would acknowledge Joe Biden as the President-elect following his official win in the Electoral College, Lemon cut himself off mid-sentence to say:
"Girl, bye."
The clip quickly spread around Twitter, where users loved that Lemon was giving McEnany's lies the sass they deserved.
@semperdiced @donlemon He has it with everything. Don needs a vacationβ Candidly Tiff: Realistic π§π½ (@Candidly Tiff: Realistic π§π½) 1608090707.0
@semperdiced @donlemon π€£ people should be more outraged. She's getting good money from taxpayers to LIE.β powerforlife03 (@powerforlife03) 1608090699.0
@semperdiced @donlemon @donlemon like most of us is over it! https://t.co/adA04Hb65Uβ Melissa π¦ (@Melissa π¦) 1608141023.0
Lemon went on to criticize McEnany for her attacks on the media, mentioning that she used to be one of his colleagues at CNN.
"Talks about what the media is doing, criticizes the media, 'This is what you should be covering.'"
"I think we got this. You used to sit here on the set with us, I think we got it. When you sat here with us you thought we had it. You were happy to be here but now we don't know what we're doing? Girl, bye."
Don Lemon is DONE with Kayleigh McEnany! #ByeKayleigh https://t.co/uMAuc9Oozcβ Meidas UMaine (@Meidas UMaine) 1608089849.0
Girl. Bye. @PressSec Don Lemon is amazing https://t.co/GFRSLvuTjsβ Pox Spotter (@Pox Spotter) 1608090923.0
@semperdiced @donlemon βGirl Byeβ ππππ I so felt his exasperationβ Dr Tera Jones-I am woman hear me roar (@Dr Tera Jones-I am woman hear me roar) 1608090633.0
Many people online felt exactly like Don Lemon did in that moment.
@semperdiced @donlemon Don Lemon is all of us at this point https://t.co/5BvVgn1To1β π΅ Michelle Mendoza π΅ (@π΅ Michelle Mendoza π΅) 1608091042.0
@semperdiced @donlemon I love listening to Don Lemon speak truth to the losers and power, on a daily. Journalistsβ¦ https://t.co/jvZWnknegnβ Jeanne π₯ n π§ π©π»βπ¦° (@Jeanne π₯ n π§ π©π»βπ¦°) 1608091067.0
@semperdiced @donlemon I am living for @donlemon and his opening takes each night.β Moderna Linda (@Moderna Linda) 1608095541.0
During that same Press Conference on Tuesday the 15th, McEnany claimed the media had been distributing "Russian disinformation" instead of covering the stories that mattered in the lead-up to the 2020 elections.
CNN's Jim Acosta asked in response:
"Is it hypocritical to accuse others of spreading disinformation when you spread it every day?"
@semperdiced @donlemon going down as one of my favorite hashtags EVER. π #girlbyeβ A M Grundy (@A M Grundy) 1608216833.0
@semperdiced @donlemon 'Girl Bye'π Donβ€οΈ https://t.co/9PUCF7aHy1β Stephanie β¨Letβs Work Together to Defeat COVID-19 (@Stephanie β¨Letβs Work Together to Defeat COVID-19) 1608090933.0
Like both of Donald Trump's former Press Secretaries, Kayleigh McEnany quickly developed a reputation for dishonesty in the service of the President.
@semperdiced @donlemon https://t.co/OSy9K4im84β Ivette CandelariaπΊπΈπ΅π· (@Ivette CandelariaπΊπΈπ΅π·) 1608090783.0
One thing seems pretty certain: Don Lemon is looking forward to January.