Nikki Haley Breaks Silence After Don Lemon Declares She's Not In Her 'Prime' At Age 51

Nikki Haley seemingly fired back at Don Lemon after he insisted she wasn't in her prime as a 51-year-old female politician.

During a town hall event just outside Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday, February 20, the newly announced GOP presidential candidate appeared to address the embattled CNN host's controversial remarks.

When asked about the difference between her and the only other GOP candidate to have announced their candidacy for the 2024 presidential election, former President Donald Trump, she said: "Because I don't think you have to be 80 to be in D.C."

Haley went on to speak highly of the former POTUS, saying on Monday evening: “President Trump is my friend. I think he was the right president at the right time. I was proud to serve in his Cabinet.”

“All the media and everybody wants to talk about is the past,” she added. “We need to leave the status quo in the past and we've got work to do.”

Aside from facing backlash for failing to provide any substantial policy differences between herself and her former boss, Haley caused quite the stir last week when she suggested that politicians over 75 should have to undergo “mandatory mental competency tests," which would include the former POTUS, 76, and current President Joe Biden, 80.

Lemon shared his thoughts on Haley's stance during the Thursday, February 16, episode of CNN This Morning, first noting: “This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable,” before dropping his controversial thoughts.

"She says people, you know, politicians are suddenly not in their prime. Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime,” he said. "Sorry, when a woman is in her prime is in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s."

When fellow cohost Poppy Harlow chimed in to ask exactly what he meant by "prime," Lemon argued that it was just a general description he found on Google. "When is a woman in her prime, it'll say 20s, 30s and 40s."

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Hours after making his stance clear — resulting in Harlow storming off set in frustration — Lemon issued an apology via Twitter and hopped on a call with CNN staffers the following day to apologize once again.

The embattled television personality was temporarily taken off air but is set to return on Wednesday, February 22, having agreed to "participate in formal training," as CNN CEO Chris Licht announced in a memo issued Monday night.

Radar reported on Haley's Monday remarks about age.