Longtime CNN anchor Don Lemon said in a post on his Twitter account Monday morning that he was fired from the job.
The network later confirmed in a statement, but views on how it all happened seemed to differ.
"CNN and Don have parted ways. Don will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years," the statement said. "We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors."
"CNN This Morning has been on the air for nearly six months, and we are committed to its success."
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Lemon said the news that he was let go came as a shock.
"I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN I would have thought someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly," he wrote. "At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network. It is clear there are some larger issues at play."
An hour after sharing its first statement, CNN released an additional statement on its social media accounts, contradicting Lemon's version.
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"Don Lemon’s statement about this morning’s events is inaccurate. He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter," it read.
Lemon has been with CNN since 2006, joining the network after anchoring at NBC Chicago and working as a correspondent for NBC News, the "TODAY" show and "NBC Nightly News."
Lemon has been at the center of a series of controversies in recent months, including around on-air comments and questions about his treatment of women at the network.
Two months ago, he was criticized for comments he made about Nikki Haley, the former United Nations ambassador and now GOP presidential candidate.
During a February episode of “CNN This Morning,” Lemon said that Haley, 51, was no longer in her “prime,” as the show's anchors discussed a suggestion by Haley that candidates over the age of 75 should be subject to mental competency exams.
“Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime, sorry,” he said. “When a woman is considered to be in her prime — in her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s.”
His comments immediately raised the eyebrows of co-anchor Poppy Harlow, who pushed back and was told "Don't shoot the messenger."
In early April, Variety published an article alleging that Lemon had a long history of questionable attitudes and behavior toward women, including mocking female colleagues.
A spokesperson for Lemon said in a statement to NBC News following the report that it was “amazing and disappointing that Variety would be so reckless.”
“The story, which is riddled with patently false anecdotes and no concrete evidence, is entirely based on unsourced, unsubstantiated, 15-year-old anonymous gossip,” the statement said.
