NBC Nightly News is getting a new host, following Lester Holt’s announcement last week that he’ll be stepping down this summer after a decade at the helm. On Wednesday, the network revealed that Tom Llamas will take over as anchor and managing editor, making history as the first Latino to hold the role.
“Tom has the winning combination of journalistic excellence, passionate storytelling, and unyielding integrity—all characteristics that have long been trademarks of NBC Nightly News,” said Janelle Rodriguez, NBC News executive vice president of programming, in a statement.
Llamas is no stranger to the news industry. He currently serves as a senior national correspondent and anchor of Top Story with Tom Llamas on NBC News NOW, a role he’ll continue while assuming his new position. His career in journalism began as an intern at the Spanish-language network Telemundo, which led to a job at NBC News as an overnight production assistant and campaign embed. These early experiences no doubt later served him well as a local journalist at Florida’s WTVJ and New York’s WNBC, where his reputation in the industry began to grow.
Building on this foundation, Llamas took on a leading role as ABC’s chief national affairs correspondent, anchoring the weekend editions of World News Tonight. In 2021, he returned to NBC News, where he continued to expand his profile in the industry.
Over the course of his career, Llamas has interviewed some of the world’s most influential figures, including President Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Llamas apparently recognizes the stature of the role he’s about to take on: In response to the announcement of his promotion, he called anchoring NBC Nightly News a “profound honor and one that carries tremendous responsibility.”
Holt, who has anchored Nightly News for 10 years, has covered some of the most defining moments in recent history, including both terms of President Trump, the coronavirus pandemic, and the war between Israel and Hamas. Though he’s stepping down from the broadcast, he isn’t leaving NBC — Holt will continue in a full-time role at Dateline, where he has been the principal anchor for nearly 15 years.
Llamas said he admires Holt’s impact and is ready to continue building on his legacy. “Lester Holt is a great man and one of the most trusted broadcasters of our time,” said Llamas. “Just like Lester, I promise to be devoted to our viewers and dedicated to the truth.”
