A changing of the guard is soon set to take place for NBC’s “Meet the Press,” as Kristen Welker will become the show’s next host in a few months.

The show’s current host Chuck Todd announced early Sunday morning that he is stepping down from the role after 9 years in the role.

He made the announcement at the close of the show’s most recent episode on June 4. 

Amidst his remarks, Todd noted having “so much confidence in the person whom I’m going to pass the baton to.”

He described Welker as “someone who’s been ready for this for a long time.” 

Welker is no stranger to the show, as she regularly filled in for Todd throughout his 9-year tenure. She currently works as NBC News’ chief White House correspondent in Washington D.C., and also co-anchors “Weekend Today.” 

Upon taking on the new role as host of “Meet the Press,” Welker will become the first Black journalist and just the second woman to moderate the show. Prior to her, the show’s creator Martha Rountree was the only woman to host the show, a role she held for six years. 

When the announcement was made, Welker took the Twitter to react. 

Welker is a native of Philadelphia, and grew up in the city’s Fairmount neighborhood. She attended and graduated from Germantown Friends School before going on to earn her bachelor’s degree in American History from Harvard University. 

She began her early career working as a researcher on NBC’s “Weekend Today,” and as an assistant producer for CBS Newspath.

From there, she worked as an anchor and reporter at KRCR-TV in Redding, California, and then as an anchor and weekend morning anchor at WLNE-TV in Providence, Rhode Island. 

In 2005, Welker returned to Philadelphia, where she worked as a general assignment reporter for NBC10 and then the opportunity came for her to take a role as a network correspondent for NBC News in Burbank, California five years later in 2010.

Since then, Welker has been a mainstay at NBC News. In December 2011, she was named NBC News White House Correspondent.

Her role has led her to covering the last three presidential elections, traveling across the world with top political leaders. In 2020, Welker moderated the third and final debate between then-President Trump and candidate Joe Biden. 

“She is a dogged reporter who relishes getting big scoops and is widely admired throughout the bureau and the network for her deeply collaborative nature,” NBC News president of editorial Rebecca Blumenstein and NBC News senior vice president of politics Carrie Budoff Brown said of Welker, in a memo to NBC News staff. 

While Todd will be stepping down as host of “Meet the Press” in September, he will be remaining with NBC as chief political analyst. 

When Welker officially takes the helm, she will join the likes of its creator Martha Rountree, Ned Brooks, Lawrence Spivak, Bill Monroe, Tim Russert, David Gregory, and several others. 

“This is truly the honor of my life,” said Welker of her upcoming new role. “Meet the Press is one of the most important political broadcasts in history and I just feel so grateful to all of those who built this amazing legacy.”

Created in 1947, “Meet the Press” is America’s longest-running show of any kind.