Who is Howard John Wesley? Don Lemon draws backlash over sharing video of pastor slamming Charlie Kirk’s half staff flag honor

A post on Instagram by journalist Don Lemon has sparked outrage among the fans of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who died on September 10 after he was shot during an event at the Utah Valley University. Just a few hours ago, Lemon posted parts from a sermon by Howard John Wesley.

Howard John Wesley is a Senior Pastor at Alexandra, Virginia’s Alfred Street Baptist Church. According to his biography, Wesley graduated from Duke University after studying and went on to study as the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholar at the Boston University School of Theology.

Wesley attended the Northern Baptist Theological Seminary where the Chicago-native earned his Doctor of Ministry in preaching.

As per his biography on the Alfred Street Baptist Church website, Wesley is widely recognized for being a strong voice on social justice and his commitment to community.

His well-known sermons, which include A Rizpah Response and Tell Your Own Story, have been inducted into the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Wesley has been a recipient of Chairman’s Award at the 47th Annual NAACP Image Awards and has engaged in various programs focusing on the youth and community, such as the Alfred Street Church’s CAYA (Come As You Are) ministry.

In the clip posted by Don Lemon, Howard John Wesley can be heard criticizing the US government’s decision to keep flags at half-staff in honor of Charlie Kirk

Charlie Kirk, who was the founder of Turning Point USA and a well-known activist and podcaster, was honored after his death when President Donald Trump ordered the American flag to be flown at half-staff till September 12, as per USA Today.

Don Lemon recently posted a clip of Howard John Wesley criticizing Trump’s decision, in which he argues that the American flag should not have flown at half-staff in honor of Kirk, who he claimed was racist.

In his sermon, Wesley can be heard saying,

“Charlie Kirk did not deserve to be assassinated. But I am overwhelmed seeing the flags of the United States of America at half-staff calling this nation to honor and venerate a man who was an unapologetic racist and spent all of his life sowing seeds of division and hate into this land.”

Continuing, Wesley added,

"I am sorry, but there's nowhere in Bible where we are taught to honor evil. And how you die does not redeem how you lived. You do not become a hero in your death when you are a weapon of the enemy in your life.”

The pastor criticized Kirk’s rhetoric, and remarked,

“I can abhor the violence that took your life, but I don't have to celebrate how you chose to live.”

Don Lemon is a miserable man. He just posted this video clip of Pastor Howard-John Wesley defaming Charlie Kirk and dragging his good name through the mud.

Lemon is one of the ugliest people I’ve ever known of. Perhaps the only person worse is Jasmine Crockett.

(donlemon on TT) pic.twitter.com/AkD4DLKQ6l

— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) September 14, 2025

In wake of Lemon posting the comments of Wesley, netizens and fans of Kirk have taken to social media to detract both Wesley and Lemon.

The user who shared the clip on X, wrote in a comment,

“Lemon will try to defend posting this by saying he added the caption, “What are your thoughts on this?” Clearly Lemon supports what this pastor is saying or he would’ve condemned it. I’d say Lemon needs to be cancelled but he’s already done that to himself.”

Wesley also attracted backlash from a large number of Kirk’s fans, who criticized the pastor’s comments as disrespectful and misplaced. As of the writing of this article, neither

Wesley not Lemon have responded to the controversy.