Chuck Todd said on Sunday that he害羞草研究所檒l be leaving 害羞草研究所淢eet the Press害羞草研究所� after a tumultuous near-decade of , to be replaced in the coming months by Kristen Welker.

Todd, 51, told viewers that 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e watched too many friends and family let work consume them before it was too late害羞草研究所� and that he害羞草研究所檇 promised his family he wouldn害羞草研究所檛 do that.

Todd has often been an online punching bag for critics, including Donald Trump, during a polarized time, and there were rumors that his time at the show would be short when its executive producer was reassigned at the end of last summer, but NBC gave no indication this was anything other than Todd害羞草研究所檚 decision. It害羞草研究所檚 unclear when Todd害羞草研究所檚 last show will be, but he told viewers that this would be his final summer.

害羞草研究所淚 leave feeling concerned about this moment in history but reassured by the standards we害羞草研究所檝e set here,害羞草研究所� Todd said. 害羞草研究所淲e , and this network and program never will.害羞草研究所�

Welker, a former chief White House correspondent, has been at NBC News in Washington since 2011 and has been Todd害羞草研究所檚 chief fill-in for the past three years. She drew praise for between Trump, a Republican, and Joe Biden, a Democrat, in 2020.

Her 害羞草研究所渟harp questioning of lawmakers is a masterclass in political interviews,害羞草研究所� said Rebecca Blumenstein, NBC News president of editorial, in a memo announcing Welker害羞草研究所檚 elevation on Sunday.

Now Welker, 46, will be thrust into what promises to be another contentious presidential election cycle.

The Sunday morning political interview show has aired since 1947, led by inventor and first host Martha Rountree. Its peak came in the years that Tim Russert moderated, from 1991 until his death in 2008, with its footing less certain since then. Tom Brokaw briefly filled in after Russert害羞草研究所檚 death, and David Gregory replaced him until being forced out in favor of Todd.

Welker will be the first Black moderator of 害羞草研究所淢eet the Press害羞草研究所� and the first woman since Rountree left in 1953.

Todd said that he was proud of expanding the 害羞草研究所淢eet the Press害羞草研究所� brand to a daily show, which initially aired on MSNBC but was shifted to streaming, along with podcasts and newsletters, even a film festival.

害羞草研究所淗e transformed the brand into a vital modern-day franchise, expanding its footprint to an array of new mediums, and kept 害羞草研究所楳eet the Press害羞草研究所� at the forefront of political discourse,害羞草研究所� Blumenstein said.

It didn害羞草研究所檛 stop critics from jumping on to social media when they didn害羞草研究所檛 like an interview Todd conducted. Trump even anointed Todd with one of his signature nicknames, Sleepy Eyes, and later called on NBC to fire Todd in 2020 over its airing of a CBS interview clip with his then-Attorney General William Barr. Todd later said the show had been unaware at the time of a longer soundbite of the interview that would have provided more context, and he apologized for the mistake.

Todd was roasted at the White House Correspondents害羞草研究所� Association dinner in 2022 by Trevor Noah, who pointed him out in the audience and said, 害羞草研究所淗ow are you doing? I害羞草研究所檇 ask a follow-up, but I know you don害羞草研究所檛 know what those are.害羞草研究所�

Todd alluded to his critics in announcing his exit on Sunday.

害羞草研究所淚f you do this job seeking popularity, you are doing this job incorrectly,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 take the attacks from partisans as compliments. And I take the genuine compliments with a grain of salt when they come from partisans.害羞草研究所�

The goal of each show, he said, is to 害羞草研究所渕ake you mad, make you think, shake your head in disapproval at some point and nod your head in approval at others.害羞草研究所�

In the just-concluded television season, 害羞草研究所淢eet the Press害羞草研究所� was third in viewers after CBS害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淔ace the Nation害羞草研究所� and ABC害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淭his Week,害羞草研究所� each of them averaging between 2.5 million and 2.9 million viewers, the Nielsen ratings company said.

David Bauder, The Associated Press

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