Months after the departure of Candy Crowley, CNN has named Jake Tapper host of the network’s Sunday morning political affairs program “State of the Union.”
CNN announced the move Friday morning. He will take over the program in June and continue as the network’s chief Washington correspondent and anchor of “The Lead.”
“I couldn’t be more excited about this election season and the new platform I will have at CNN to cover it,” Tapper said in a statement. “‘State Of The Union’ has a rich tradition and I hope to not only build on its history but expand the definition of what a Sunday show can be.”
“I am thrilled that Jake will take on this additional role at such a pivotal time in the election cycle,” CNN president Jeff Zucker said in a statement. “He has the perfect combination of skills that make him uniquely qualified — he’s a relentless reporter, a gifted storyteller, and a terrific interviewer who doesn’t stop until he gets answers. We are lucky to have him on both ‘The Lead’ and ‘State of the Union.'”