Kristen Welker

Kristen Welker
Welker in 2024
Born (1976-07-01) July 1, 1976 (age 48)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
EducationHarvard University (BA)
Occupations
  • Journalist
  • correspondent
EmployerNBC News
Spouse
John Hughes
​
(m. 2017)​
Children2

Kristen Welker (born July 1, 1976[1]) is an American television journalist working for NBC News. She serves as a White House correspondent based in Washington, D.C.,[2] and served as co-anchor of Weekend Today, the Saturday edition of Today, alongside Peter Alexander from 2020 to 2023. She took over hosting duties for the longest-running program in television history, Meet the Press, on September 17, 2023.[3][4]

Early life and education

Welker is the daughter of Harvey and Julie Welker.[5] Her father is an engineer, her mother a real estate agent.[6] Welker's father is White and her mother is Black.[5][7] She graduated from Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia in 1994 and Harvard College with a Bachelor of Arts in 1998.[8][9][10] At Harvard, she majored in American history and graduated magna cum laude.[11] Welker also interned for Today in 1997, while at Harvard.[12]

Career

Welker in 2018

Welker has worked at ABC affiliates WLNE-TV in Providence, Rhode Island, and KRCR-TV in Redding/Chico, California, and joined NBC in 2005 at affiliate WCAU in Philadelphia, where she was a reporter and weekend anchor. She then joined NBC News in 2010 as a correspondent based at the NBC News West Coast Headquarters in Burbank, California. She became an NBC White House correspondent in December 2011.

Welker regularly represented MSNBC at the daily White House press briefings as well as reported live for various programs on the channel. She occasionally filled in on NBC Nightly News and Today. On January 10, 2020, NBC announced that Welker would become the regular co-anchor of Weekend Today alongside Peter Alexander. She debuted as co-anchor on Weekend Today on January 11, 2020.[13]

On October 22, 2020, amidst the ongoing COVID pandemic emergency, Kristen Welker hosted the final debate in the 2020 presidential election between incumbent Republican president Donald Trump and his challenger, former vice president Joe Biden.[14]

On June 4, 2023, it was announced by NBC that Welker had been named to succeed Chuck Todd as anchor of their Sunday morning program, Meet the Press, starting on September 17, 2023, and its weekday spin-off Meet the Press Now on NBC News NOW starting on September 22, 2023.[15][failed verification]

On her debut show as host, she interviewed former U.S President Donald Trump.[16] The interview was met with some criticism as some felt Welker did not adequately push back on Trump's alleged falsehoods and that Trump shouldn't be given a platform to spread his beliefs about the 2020 election and other things.[17][4]

On November 8, 2023, she co-moderated the third 2024 GOP primary debate alongside Lester Holt and Hugh Hewitt in Miami, Florida. Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy started off by calling her a member of the "corrupt media establishment" and accusing her of pushing "the Trump–Russia collusion hoax". Welker grinned and ignored the attack and Holt moved on.[18] [19]

Personal life

Welker married John Hughes on March 4, 2017, in Philadelphia.[20] Their daughter was born on June 12, 2021 through a surrogate.[21] A son was later born via surrogate on May 30, 2024.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ Kristen Welker (@kwelkernbc) (July 1, 2015). "Thanks so much! "@ happy. We share with Pam Anderson and Lady Diana. Solid company."". Twitter. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  2. ^ "Kristen Welker". msnbc.com. October 11, 2010. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
  3. ^ "Trump joins Kristen Welker in her first show as moderator of Meet the Press – September 17". NBC News. September 17, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Commentary: 'Meet the Press' debuts with Kristen Welker and treads familiar ground with Trump". Los Angeles Times. September 17, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Philly Magazine: "HughE Dillon: Jonas Brothers Play Ball in Camden - Plus today’s Snoop Dogg appearance, a farewell party for NBC 10s Kristen Welker, and D.A. Seth Williams sings for his supper" By Hugh E. Dillon August 30, 2010
  6. ^ Dan Gross. " Go West Young Kristen Welker." Philadelphia Daily News, August 19, 2010, p. 28.
  7. ^ Philly Magazine: "Race For Votes Flier's Bigoted, Sexist, Welker Camp Argues" by Cynthia Burton and Mark McDonald April 27, 1995
  8. ^ Philly Magazine: "Kristen Welker’s New Gig: Hanging Out With the Obamas - The Philly native and NBC10 alum joined the White House press corps" By Gail Shister December 20, 2011
  9. ^ Philly Magazine: "Brian Williams, Matt Lauer … Kristen Welker? - The Philly-bred reporter is headed for the big leagues as a national correspondent for “Nightly News”" By Gail Shister August 19, 2010
  10. ^ "Harvard Alumni Directory". Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  11. ^ Patricia Clifford. "Family Celebrates Welker's Career Move." Philadelphia Tribune, August 31, 2010, p. 8B.
  12. ^ Stump, Scott (January 11, 2020). "Once a TODAY Intern, Kristen Welker Now Anchors Weekend TODAY". NBC Boston. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  13. ^ Corinthios, Aurelie. "Kristen Welker to Co-Anchor NBC's Weekend Today: 'So Proud of You,' Says Savannah Guthrie". PEOPLE.com.
  14. ^ Benwell, Max. "The 'obvious' winner of the final debate: moderator Kristen Welker". TheGuardian.com.
  15. ^ Arkin, Daniel (June 4, 2023). "Chuck Todd will depart 'Meet the Press.' Kristen Welker will be the next host". NBC News. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  16. ^ "Full transcript: Read Kristen Welker's interview with Trump". NBC News. September 17, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  17. ^ Jones, Tom (September 18, 2023). "Kristen Welker's controversial debut as "Meet the Press" moderator". Poynter. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  18. ^ "GOP debate: Vivek Ramaswamy attacks NBC's Kristen Welker, other moderators". USA TODAY. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  19. ^ "Vivek Ramaswamy Kicks Off Debate by Trashing NBC Moderators and Turning the Tables: 'Answer the Question'". Mediaite. November 9, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  20. ^ Foster, Brooke Lea (March 10, 2017). "For NBC's Kristen Welker, Love Took Its Time". The New York Times. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  21. ^ "NBC News' Kristen Welker shares her baby's birth story with Hoda". TODAY.com. September 27, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2022.