NBC News announced on Friday that Ronna McDaniel is joining NBC News as a political analyst starting Sunday, March 24, with her first appearance on Meet the Press with Kristen Welker.
McDaniel, the former Republican National Committee Chair, stepped down in late February and was replaced by Lara Trump, daughter-in-law of former president Donald Trump, and Michael Whatley, the new co-chairs of the RNC.
She will also contribute to MSNBC and be part of NBC News’ election programming, Decision 2024, on the broadcast network and NBC News Now during notable election nights and political events.
In a memo to staff, NBC News svp of politics Carrie Budoff Brown said it was important for this moment to have someone like McDaniel on NBC News, as she provides “an insider’s perspective on national politics and the future of the Republican Party.”
McDaniel’s Meet the Press appearance will also include her first interview since stepping down from the RNC.
While at the RNC, she was responsible for negotiating with TV networks to distribute and air the GOP presidential debates. In December 2023, under the urging of Trump, the RNC paused its participation in the televised debate process. This meant that debates moving forward had to be hosted by news networks independent of the committee and exclusively determined who qualified for said event.