Don Lemon ABSENT From 'CNN: This Morning' After Controversial Nikki Haley Comment Causes Poppy Harlow To Storm Off Set

Don Lemon was not present for his daily CNN: This Morning talk show role on Friday, February 17.

His absence comes just one day after he claimed Nikki Haley "isn't in her prime" for a 51-year-old woman, which caused cohost Poppy Harlow to storm off the set.

"Poppy, as you can see, is in Utah for the NBA All-Star Game, so we’ll get to that and much more in a moment," Collins explained, however, she failed to provide further details on Lemon's whereabouts nor discuss Thursday's uproar.

After Lemon's comments about Haley — who recently kick-started her 2024 presidential campaign — appeared to offend his colleagues and viewers at home, the television reporter took to Twitter to apologize for his remarks.

"The reference I made to a woman's 'prime' this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it," Lemon confessed on Thursday, February 16, after the incident took place.

"A woman’s age doesn't define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day," he continued.

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Lemon's apology contradicted what he admitted on air when he said "sorry" for insisting "Nikki Haley isn't in her prime."

"A woman is considered to be in their prime in 20s and 30s and maybe 40s," he stubbornly said, prompting an enraged Harlow to question where Lemon got his information from.

"I’m just saying what the facts are. Google it," Lemon replied during the live broadcast. "Everybody at home, when is woman in her prime, it says 20s, 30s and 40s.

"And I’m just saying should be careful about saying that politicians are not in their prime and they need to be in prime when they serve. Because she wouldn't be in her prime," he concluded.