The White House’s social media team sparked national controversy by celebrating the arrest of journalist and former CNN anchor Don Lemon, prompting widespread rebukes from press freedom groups, lawmakers and media figures.

The official White House account on X posted a graphic with Lemon’s image and the pun “When life gives you lemons…” in response to his federal arrest, triggering criticism that the administration was mocking a journalist’s detention rather than upholding constitutional protections.

Lemon, a prominent media personality known for his long career in journalism, was taken into custody by federal agents in Los Angeles on January 29 in connection with a protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota, that drew attention to immigration enforcement issues.

He faces federal charges related to allegations of interfering with the rights of worshippers during the demonstration, though he and his legal team maintain he was acting in a journalistic capacity while covering the event.

The arrest followed earlier judicial refusals to authorize charges against him, intensifying debate over the legal basis of the case.

The social media post by the White House was condemned by leading press freedom advocates, who argued that celebrating the arrest of a working journalist undermines the role of independent media in a democratic society.

The National Press Club described Lemon’s arrest as “dangerous” for press freedom and warned of the chilling effect such actions could have on journalists’ ability to report on matters of public interest.

The Freedom of the Press Foundation and other advocacy groups similarly called for charges against Lemon to be dropped, asserting that journalists must be able to document protests and government actions without fear of retaliation.

Democratic lawmakers also decried the White House’s response, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries asserting that there was “zero basis” for Lemon’s arrest and demanding his immediate release.

Media leaders expressed alarm at what they described as a pattern of government intimidation of the press, noting that federal authorities had also recently searched the home of another reporter as part of an unrelated investigation.

Critics characterised the meme-style celebration as emblematic of an administration dismissive of First Amendment rights.

Supporters of the administration have defended enforcement of federal laws governing the protection of worship services, arguing that actions taken at the church protest disrupted religious freedoms guaranteed under federal statutes.

They maintain that journalists do not have blanket immunity when covering events that cross legal boundaries, though the legal merits remain contested and subject to court proceedings.

The case has thus become a flashpoint in national discussions over press freedom, government power and the limits of journalistic privilege in volatile public demonstrations.