The Hill’s Changemakers: Kristen Welker, ‘Meet the Press’ host

Kristen Welker made history in 2023 when she was named host of “Meet the Press,” becoming the first person of color to serve as moderator of a Sunday public affairs program.   

The news capped a big year for Welker, who rose through the ranks at NBC News as a White House correspondent and a regular on the “Today” show, “NBC Nightly News” and the rest of the outlet’s daily news programming.   

As part of her debut as moderator of “Meet the Press,” Welker hosted a wide-ranging interview with former President Trump, during which she pressed him on various legal woes and false claims about the integrity of the 2020 election.   

More recently, she held a contentious interview with one of Trump’s Republican presidential primary challengers, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, asking him repeatedly about reports he did not condemn neo-Nazi protests in Florida.   

“Why didn’t you speak out? Why didn’t you use your voice to say that you’re not going to stand for that?” she asked DeSantis after he dismissed the accusation, made by Randy Fine, the only Jewish Republican in the Florida Legislature.  

Welker is ending the year on a strong note after also serving as a co-moderator for the third Republican presidential primary debate, along with anchor Lester Holt.   

Perhaps NBC’s biggest star, she is certain to play a pivotal role in the network’s coverage of the 2024 election and beyond.