In a rare move, NBC News has given two of its journalists the title of “chief White House correspondent.”
NBC News president Noah Oppenheim announced this morning that Kristen Welker and Peter Alexander, both of whom have held the title of NBC News White House correspondent for years, will now have “chief” tacked on, and will co-lead the network’s coverage of the Biden administration.
Welker and Alexander have served as NBC News White House correspondents since December 2011 and 2012, respectively.
Welker joined NBC News in August 2010, and was initially based in the Los Angeles bureau. Hired by then-NBC News president Steve Capus, she had been an anchor for NBC O&O station WCAU in Philadelphia, Alexander, on the other hand, joined the network in 2004 from KCPQ-TV in Seattle.
Both reporters will continue to co-anchor Weekend Today, in addition to their duties as integral members of the White House Press Corps.
Hallie Jackson, the network’s chief White House correspondent during the Trump administration, will become NBC News senior Washington correspondent. She will also continue to front MSNBC’s 10 a.m. hour from Washington D.C., and is getting her own show on NBC News Now, which streams on Peacock.
Welker and Alexander aren’t the only NBC Newsers getting new “chief” titles. Andrea Mitchell, already the network’s chief foreign affairs correspondent, can now add the title of “chief Washington correspondent” to her resume.
Geoff Bennett and Kelly O’Donnell will continue to serve as NBC News White House correspondents and Monica Alba will join the team as well. “The Biden whisperer” Mike Memoli will also continue to cover all things Biden for the last 13 years, as will Carol Lee.
Shannon Pettypiece will continue as senior digital White House reporter focusing on all aspects of the Biden administration, the White House and the president. She will be joined by politics reporter Lauren Egan who will cover breaking news out of the White House for NBC News digital.