Tom Llamas to replace Lester Holt as 'NBC Nightly News' anchor

Lester Holt's replacement has been set: NBC News announced Wednesday that Tom Llamas will be the next anchor of "Nightly News." The network didn't announce a start date but Holt will leave the broadcast this summer following a 10-year run there.

In a statement, NBC News head of programming Janelle Rodriquez said Llamas, 45, has played an "instrumental" role at the news division's streaming network, NBC News NOW, "helping to introduce NBC News to a new generation of viewers."

Llamas' statement read, in part, that "anchoring 'NBC Nightly News' is a profound honor and one that carries tremendous responsibility," while adding that "just like Lester, I promise to be devoted to our viewers and dedicated to the truth."

Llamas steps into the role at a fraught moment for all the network news divisions — struggling to contain costs and retain relevance while dealing with pressure from President Donald Trump, who has filed lawsuits against both CBS News and ABC News. (ABC later settled.)

In a surprise move just a week ago — and hours after MSNBC completed a radical overhaul of its prime-time lineup — Holt said he'd leave the broadcast he'd headed for a decade, becoming the second top broadcast anchor to step away from their program so far this year. In what was widely reported to be a cost-cutting move, Norah O'Donnell left "CBS Evening News" Jan. 23, and was replaced by Maurice DuBois and John Dickerson.

Llamas, a Miami native, spent the early part of his career at NBC News; he later joined ABC News, becoming a correspondent for "World News Tonight" and anchor of the broadcast's Sunday editions. He rejoined NBC in 2021 as senior national correspondent and anchor of NBC News NOW's "Top Story," a prime-time broadcast. Llamas will also retain the latter job, which will begin each weeknight after “Nightly News” ends.

He has also filled in frequently for Holt — who will join "Dateline" full time after leaving "Nightly."