6 Things to Know About Kristen Welker, the New Host of ‘Meet the Press’
Meet the Press is welcoming a new host beginning Sunday, September 17, as Kristen Welker takes over the spot once helmed by Chuck Todd at NBC.
The NBC News reporter has been a co-anchor of Saturday TODAY and a Chief White House Correspondent for the NBC and MSNBC platforms, including NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, TODAY, Meet the Press, and NBCNews.com.
But what else is there to know about the reporter who is set to helm the political Sunday mainstay? We’re unveiling some key facts, below.
(Credit: William B. Plowman/NBC)
Her First Episode
Welker’s first episode as the lead host of Meet the Press will feature a sit-down conversation with former President Donald Trump, which was pre-taped in anticipation of the broadcast. According to Variety, Welker elicited a response from Trump about whether or not he’d pardon himself if re-elected as president.
She’s Had Struggles
In April of 2023, Welker opened up about her struggles with infertility, which ultimately led to having her daughter Margot via surrogate in 2021. Speaking to People, she said, “I feel like in the past few years, I’ve learned that it was worth it. All of the tears, the struggle, the heartache were all worth it to have Margot.” Ultimately, her message to others experiencing the same hardships and challenges was, “when you feel alone, when you feel hopeless, do not give up, keep pushing forward because it is so worth it in the end.”
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NBC Ties
Welker’s been with NBC covering the White House since December 2011 and has represented the network in front of the nation for pivotal moments, including the October 22, 2020, presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, during which she was praised for her moderation.
She’s Worked All Over
Prior to her current NBC News gigs, Welker worked in several different corners of the country for local NBC affiliate stations including the Philadelphia-based WCAU-TV, where she anchored NBC 10 weekend newscasts and started as a general assignment reporter in 2005. Other stations she worked for included Providence, Rhode Island’s WLNE-TV and Redding, California’s KRCR-TV. She even interned for TODAY as a college student.
Home Roots
Kristen Welker comes from Philadelphia but left Pennsylvania to get her degree at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts. She currently resides in Washington, D.C., where the political action takes place, alongside her husband John Hughes and their daughter Margot.
She Has an Emmy
She’s a National Emmy Award-winner for her role in NBC News‘ coverage of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which was shot out of the sky over Ukraine by Russian forces in July 2014. The passenger flight was traveling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 283 passengers and 15 crew members were killed in the event, which stemmed from tensions between Ukraine and Russia that are still illustrated in the ongoing war between the nations.
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