John Lyons is an Australian journalist who recently had a clash with US President Donald Trump, find out more about him and the clash between the two below
Over the years, ABC reporter John has spent decades building a reputation as one of Australia’s toughest investigative journalists. and has now made headlines after challenging Donald Trump during a press interaction at the White House
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) accreditation for US President Donald Trump’s press conference in London now been been revoked due to logistical reasons after the confrontation between Trump and the network’s Americas editor, John Lyons who was reporting for the investigative show Four Corners in Washington DC.
Who is ABC reporter John Lyons, Australian journalist who clashed with Donald Trump in viral video
ABC’s John Lyons has fired back at Donald Trump’s “absurd notion” that asking legitimate questions could damage relations b/w the US & Australia
“If our job as journalists is to hold truth to power, then surely asking legitimate questions politely…should be acceptable”🔥💯#Abc pic.twitter.com/O7eEqDbni2— stranger (@strangerous10) September 16, 2025
Union members at the ABC and across the media industry stand with John Lyons and reject the US President’s unfounded attacks on our colleague.#MEAAmedia pic.twitter.com/ZjgDytHLaJ
— MEAA (@withMEAA) September 17, 2025
A viral clash took place between Australian journalist John Lyons and Donald Trump, with the exchange quickly heating up after Trump mocked and silenced the veteran reporter on live TV.
John Lyons clash with Donald Trump
Renowned Australian journalist John Lyons recently had a confrontation with Donald Trump on the White House lawn as Trump prepared to leave for a state visit to the UK. Lyons questioned the president’s growing wealth ever since his return to office and pressed him on whether it was appropriate for a sitting president to engage in extensive business ventures. In response, Trump accused Lyons of “hurting Australia” and threatened to raise the matter with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese before placing a finger to his lips and telling Lyons to “be quiet.” Just moments later, Trump’s administration doubled down on social media and labelled Lyons as a “foreign fake news loser.”
John Lyons biography and age
John Lyons is a distinguished Australian journalist born in 1961, making him 64 years old. He currently serves as the Americas Editor at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and has previously held senior roles as its Global Affairs Editor and head of current affairs. Lyons is known for his fearless approach to reporting, particularly on international conflict, political power struggles, and human rights. His career has earned him multiple Walkley Awards, including two Journalist of the Year titles, cementing his legacy as one of Australia’s leading journalists.
Education
Lyons pursued higher education in Australia before entering journalism in the print sector. While detailed records of his academic path remain limited, his career trajectory shows early training in rigorous reporting, political coverage, and editorial leadership, which set the foundation for his rise in investigative journalism.
Career
John Lyons started out his career in print, climbing through various roles at News Corp and Nine Entertainment. He later became the editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, where he pushed investigative reporting on both national and international issues. He soon made the transition to broadcast journalism and joined ABC, where he headed current affairs. John also contributed to ABC’s flagship programs like Four Corners. He also spent a period of his career covering various conflicts in the Middle East, U.S. foreign policy, and global corruption. Aside from reporting, John has also written several books, like Dateline Jerusalem and The Radio Operator.
John Lyons is the current Global Affairs Editor at the ABC.
🚨BREAKING: Trump threatens an Australian reporter that their question about his business activity will hurt his relationship with the entire country: “Your leader is coming to see me soon, I'm going to tell him about you.”
Is he a f*cking psychopath?
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) September 16, 2025
Wife and children
John Lyons is married to fellow journalist Sylvie Le Clezio, and together they have one son. The family has lived abroad during parts of Lyons’ career, including various stints in the Middle East, where Lyons served as a correspondent.
Net worth
John Lyons has an estimated net worth of between $1 million and $3 million AUD, based on his decades-long career in top editorial positions, book authorship, and senior roles at ABC.
Social media
John Lyons has an active presence on social media, particularly on X, where his verified handle, @TheLyonsDen, has over 37K followers. He regularly shares insights into his international affairs, journalism, and updates on his investigations on the platform.
Jim Chalmers says he respects the ABC following Trump’s spineless response to legitimate questions by ABC journalist John Lyons, & that as far as he can tell, John Lyons was “just doing his job”
Says unlike Trump, he doesn’t “second guess questions asked by journalists”🔥 pic.twitter.com/UwJRoyjn2Z— stranger (@strangerous10) September 17, 2025
