Chuck Todd, Former 'Meet the Press' Moderator, leaves NBC News after 20 years in the network

"There’s never a perfect time to leave a place that has been a professional home for so long, but I’m really excited about a few new projects that are on the cusp of going from ‘pie in the sky’ to ‘near reality.’ I’m grateful for the chance to get a head start on my next chapter during this important moment," Todd said in the memo.

He continued: "'The 'Chuck Toddcast' is also coming with me. Thank you, NBC. Stay tuned for an announcement about its new home soon. Needless to say, I plan to continue sharing my reporting and unique perspective on politics, using data and history as key baselines to understand where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going."

ALSO SEE: Jim Acosta Departs CNN After 18 Years, Declines Late-Night Slot Amid Network Restructuring

Where is Chuck Todd going next?

Todd hinted at the possibility of launching a newsletter, a popular second act for TV journalists who leave traditional platforms for independent publishing sites like Substack.

"The media has a lot of work to do to win back the trust of viewers, listeners, and readers, and I’m convinced the best place to start is from the ground up. At my core, I’m an entrepreneur. I spent my first 15 professional years working for the company that started the political newsletter craze that dominates today. And this is a ripe moment," Todd said, seemingly referencing the country’s political divide as Trump takes office once again.

“We can’t tolerate propagandists”

In his statement, Todd spoke candidly about trust in mainstream media. "National media can’t win trust back without having a strong local partner, and trying to game algorithms is no way to inform and report," Todd said. "People are craving community, and that’s something national media or major social media companies can’t do as well as local media."

"I leave feeling concerned about this moment in history but reassured by the standards that I and others at NBC have worked so hard to uphold," Todd said. "We can’t tolerate propagandists, but that doesn’t mean sticking your head in the sand either, if you ignore reality, you’ll miss the biggest story."

"Being a real political journalist isn’t about building a brand; it’s about reporting what’s happening, explaining why it’s happening, and letting the public absorb the facts without judging them for coming to a different conclusion. If you do this job seeking popularity or simply as an activist, you’re doing it wrong," he added.

In a statement on Friday, NBC News representatives said, "We’re grateful for Chuck’s many contributions to our political coverage during his nearly two-decade career at NBC News and for his deep commitment to Meet the Press and its enduring legacy. We wish him all the best in his next endeavors."

Major departures in American television

Todd’s exit from NBC News comes amid a wave of changes in the American television news industry, with several high-profile anchors stepping away. Hoda Kotb left Today on January 10, and Norah O'Donnell signed off from CBS Evening News on January 23. On Tuesday, Jim Acosta announced he was leaving CNN after turning down an alternative time slot offered by the network.

Last week, CNN made significant programming changes, shifting hosts such as Jake Tapper and Wolf Blitzer to different time slots while cutting about 200 TV positions, roughly 6% of its workforce, according to the network’s own reporting. The company had previously removed Acosta from its lineup, leaving him without a show. CNN’s Alyson Camerota and Poppy Harlow also departed last year, and Chris Wallace announced his exit from the network as well.

In Spanish-language media, Univision anchor, Jorge Ramos, left the U.S. Spanish-language network shortly after the 2024 election, marking another major shift in television news.