Don Lemon, the former CNN anchor, has filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk, alleging unfair termination of their partnership and claiming the tech mogul refused to pay him as agreed. The lawsuit, filed on Thursday in the California Superior Court in San Francisco, follows the abrupt end of a collaboration with Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly known as Twitter).

The dispute centers on a partnership that was terminated in March after Lemon announced that Musk would be his first guest for an interview.

Musk criticized the concept of the partnership in a subsequent post, stating that Lemon’s approach was akin to "CNN, but on social media," which he felt was ineffective. He suggested that Lemon could still build an audience on the platform independently.

The lawsuit accuses X of not only canceling the partnership unfairly but also of using Lemon’s name to attract advertisers without compensating him. According to the legal filing, Lemon was promised at least $1.5 million plus additional payments tied to advertising revenue, but these payments were not fulfilled.

Lemon’s attorney, Carney Shegerian, emphasized the straightforward nature of the case, asserting that X executives exploited Lemon’s reputation to bolster their advertising efforts before abruptly ending the partnership and disparaging his name.

"X executives used Don to prop up their advertising sales pitch, then canceled their partnership and dragged Don's name through the mud," Shegerian stated.

The partnership with X was part of a broader strategy to enhance video content on the platform and attract advertisers, a goal that has faced significant challenges since Musk’s acquisition of the company in 2022. Lemon, along with former U.S. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and sports radio host Jim Rome, was signed in January to help revitalize X's content offerings.

Lemon’s lawsuit also follows his departure from CNN in April last year after 17 years with the network. His exit came after a brief stint as co-host of CNN’s morning show, which followed his successful tenure as a prime-time anchor. The end of his partnership with X and the subsequent legal action reflect ongoing struggles for both Lemon and the platform as they navigate their respective public and professional challenges.