Don Lemon fired back at President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE on Monday after the president questioned the intelligence of the CNN anchor and his guest, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.

The CNN host accused Trump of racism and bullying in a monologue on his show, "CNN Tonight with Don Lemon," after the president referred to him in a tweet as "the dumbest man on television."

“This president traffics in racism and is fueled by bullying,” Lemon said.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Unlike this president who lashes out wildly at anyone who criticizes him, LeBron James — in addition to being a brilliant black man, a superstar in his sport, and a hero to his community — is taking the high road, which is exactly where he belongs,” he added.

Lemon went on to accuse Trump of racial undertones in his remark after the president said that Lemon had made James look smart, which according to the president "isn't easy to do."

“Referring to African-Americans as dumb is one of the oldest canards of America’s racist past and present: that black people are of inferior intelligence," Lemon said.

"This president constantly denigrates people of color and women," he added.

Lemon previously responded to Trump's remark in a tweet, mentioning James's recent commitment to opening a school for at-risk 3rd- and 4th-grade students in Ohio.

"Who’s the real dummy? A man who puts kids in classrooms or one who puts kids in cages?" Lemon tweeted Saturday, including the hashtag #BeBest, a reference to first lady Melania Trump's anti-bullying campaign.

Trump also voiced support for James after the president's tweet.

A spokeswoman for the first lady said in a statement that James is "working to do good things" with his new school for at-risk children in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, adding that Trump is "open to visiting" the school.

Lemon has frequently been the target of President Trump's criticism in the past, along with other CNN anchors and reporters that Trump has dubbed "fake news."