Don Lemon, a co-host of CNN This Morning, came under intense heat and condemnation on social media after suggesting during Thursday’s broadcast that GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley was not in her “prime” and should stop bringing up other politicians’ ages.

Haley, who is 51 years old, stated that legislators over 75 years old need competency testing. Lemon, who is 56 years old, reacted. Haley made the remarks on February 15 at the beginning of her presidential campaign.

On Thursday’s broadcast, Lemon said he felt uneasy with the topic of aging and thought it was inappropriate to pursue it. He said that Haley said older politicians were not in their prime, but she wasn’t in her prime either.

His other co-hosts appeared perplexed and shocked by the statement, and their confusion only increased when Lemon claimed that women were viewed as being in their prime between the ages of 20 and 40.

Co-host Poppy Harlow, 40, called out Lemon and questioned him, asking him to clarify what he was talking about and what specifically women were prime for at certain ages.

When Lemon realized what he had said was completely inappropriate, he attempted to retract it and defend himself by claiming that Google search, not Lemon, had made the statement that those ages were when women were in their prime.

Lemon blamed Google, claiming that when one searches for a woman’s prime age, the results indicate that she is between the ages of 20 and 40.

Haley should stop claiming that elected officials must be in their prime years in order to serve since, according to Google, she would not be in her prime either, Lemon added.

With many claiming that Lemon was sexist and politically biased, his comments attracted a lot of backlash and condemnation.

Politicians, comedians, and analysts on all sides of the political aisle all seemed to agree that what Lemon said was inappropriate, with some even suggesting that he be fired.

Lemon then tweeted apologies for his comments, but he left out any mention of Haley.

His bosses at CNN gave him a “day off” or perhaps a “cool off” on Monday for President’s Day. He returned to work on Wednesday, after “formal training.”