Tom Llamas Succeeds Lester Holt as NBC Nightly News Anchor: "A Profound Honor"
"Just like Lester, I promise to be devoted to our viewers and dedicated to the truth," Llamas said of his new role.
The team at NBC Nightly News is welcoming a new addition. Starting this summer, Tom Llamas will take over for Lester Holt as the newest anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News.
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“Tom has the winning combination of journalistic excellence, passionate storytelling and unyielding integrity — all characteristics that have long been trademarks of NBC Nightly News,” NBC News’ Executive Vice President of Programming Janelle 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.”
Tom Llamas succeeds Lester Holt as NBC Nightly News anchor
Llamas is currently a senior national correspondent for NBC News and anchor of Top Story with Tom Llamas on NBC News NOW, the network’s 24/7 live news stream. The award-winning journalist will continue to host Top Story once he officially takes over Holt’s anchor role this summer.
“Anchoring NBC 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. “Lester Holt is a great man and one of the most trusted broadcasters of our time. Just like Lester, I promise to be devoted to our viewers and dedicated to the truth.”
In February 2025, Holt announced that he’d be stepping down from his role at NBC Nightly News to dedicate his time to anchoring Dateline.
“After 10 years, 17 if you include my years on the weekends, the time has come for me to step away from my role as anchor of Nightly News," Holt said in a statement, before adding, "I’m excited to report I will be continuing as anchor of Dateline NBC, but for the first time in a full-time capacity whereby I will be expanding my footprint on the broadcast and crafting Dateline hours on subjects I care deeply about. I am thrilled to be able to work more closely with my enormously talented friends at Dateline as the broadcast continues to grow and attract new viewers in new places.”
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Llamas is certainly a familiar face at NBC, beginning his career at the network over two decades ago. Recently, he’s led NBC News NOW’s coverage on the election and presidential debates. He’s also covered breaking news events including the New Orleans terror attack, the Israel-Hamas war, the California wildfires, the assassination attempt on President Trump.
