Tom Llamas will take over as anchor and managing editor of “NBC Nightly News” after Lester Holt steps down this summer, the network announced Wednesday.
Llamas is a senior national correspondent and anchor of “Top Story with Tom Llamas,” an evening newscast that streams on NBC News NOW. He will continue to anchor “Top Story” each weeknight, NBC News executive vice president of programming Janelle Rodriguez wrote in a message to staff.
“Tom has the winning combination of journalistic excellence, passionate storytelling and unyielding integrity — all characteristics that have long been trademarks of ‘NBC Nightly News,’” Rodriguez said in a statement. “Additionally, he’s been instrumental in growing NBC News NOW into the leading streaming news network, helping to introduce NBC News to a new generation of viewers.”
Llamas said anchoring “Nightly News” is a “profound honor and one that carries tremendous responsibility.”
“I look forward to working with the world class journalists at ‘Nightly News’ and ‘Top Story’ to bring viewers the most important stories every night,” Llamas said in a statement.
Llamas will become the first Latino journalist to host the weeknight edition of Nightly News.” José Díaz-Balart, who hosts a show on MSNBC, anchors Saturday editions of Nightly News.”
Holt, the anchor and managing editor of “Nightly News” for a decade, announced last month that he planned to step down this summer. He will remain a fixture at the network with a full-time role at “Dateline,” where he has been the principal anchor for almost 15 years.
Lester Holt in studio in New York in 2018.Christopher Dilts / NBCUniversal
“Lester Holt is a great man and one of the most trusted broadcasters of our time,” Llamas said. “Just like Lester, I promise to be devoted to our viewers and dedicated to the truth.”
Holt, speaking to “Nightly” staffers Wednesday by phone, said he told Llamas that anchoring the broadcast was “not only one of the great jobs, but it’s a great staff he’s inheriting. I know you all will give him your 100% support as you make the transition.”
“As I told him, it’s important to make the broadcast his, and you will over time. … I’m happy, happy for Tom and his family — and crush it, my friend.”
Llamas started out as an intern at a local Telemundo station before launching his professional journalism career at NBC News, working as an overnight production assistant and then a campaign embed. He rose through the news industry as a local journalist at WTVJ and WNBC.
He later served as ABC’s chief national affairs correspondent and anchored weekend editions of the network’s “World News Tonight.”
He rejoined NBC News in 2021 as a senior national correspondent and soon after became the anchor of “Top Story.” He is also a regular fill-in anchor on “Nightly News” and reports often for that program, in addition to the “TODAY” show.
Llamas has led coverage of major breaking news and political events for NBC News NOW, reporting on pivotal storylines from around the U.S. and the world, including the Israel-Hamas war; Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania; the Tokyo and Paris Olympics; and several natural disasters.
He has interviewed world leaders and political figures, including Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, first lady Melania Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Llamas starts his new role this summer.
