Chuck Todd exiting NBC News after nearly 20 years as Trump starts ...

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Watch Hoda Kotb's 'Today' announcement, Jenna Bush Hager's response

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Chuck Todd is leaving NBC News.

The NBC chief political analyst and former "Meet The Press" moderator announced the news in a memo shared with staff Friday. The exit comes amid broad shifts in the TV news landscape as President Donald Trump begins his second term. In the memo to fellow NBC staffers, Todd teased his next chapter.

"There's never a perfect time to leave a place that's been a professional home for so long, but I'm pretty excited about a few new projects that are on the cusp of going from 'pie in the sky' to 'near reality.' So I'm grateful for the chance to get a jump start on my next chapter during this important moment," Todd said in the memo obtained Friday by USA TODAY.

Norah O'Donnell, Hoda Kotb out: 'God-like days' are over for big name anchors

He continued: "The 'ChuckToddcast' is also coming with me (thank you NBC). Stay tuned for an announcement about its new home soon. Needless to say, I do plan to continue to share my reporting and unique perspective of covering politics with data and history as important baselines in understanding where we were, where we are and where we're going."

Todd teased a possible newsletter, a popular second act for TV journalists who exit traditional platforms for newsletter structures like independent publishing site Substack.

"The media has a lot of work to do to win back the trust of viewers/listeners/readers and I’m convinced the best place to start is from the bottom up.  At my core, I'm an entrepreneur — I spent my first 15 years professionally working for the company that started the political newsletter craze that dominates today.  And this is a ripe moment," Todd said in apparent reference to the country's divide as Trump takes office once again.

Chuck Todd's NBC staff memo: 'We can't tolerate propogandists'

In his statement, Todd spoke candidly about trust in mainstream media.

"National media can't win trust back without having a robust partner locally and trying to game algorithms is no way to inform and report," Todd said. "People are craving community and that's something national media or the major social media companies can't do as well as local media."

He added that "we can't tolerate propogandists" in his message to colleagues.

"I leave feeling concerned about this moment in history but reassured by the standards I and others at NBC have worked so hard to set.

"We can't tolerate propagandists. But it doesn't mean sticking your head in the sand either; if you ignore reality, you'll miss the biggest story," Todd said.

"Being a real political journalist isn't about building a brand, it's about reporting what's happening and explaining why it's happening and letting the public absorb the facts without judging them for coming to a different conclusion. If you do this job seeking popularity, or to simply be an activist, you are doing this job incorrectly," he added.

NBC News reps said in a statement Friday to USA TODAY, "We're grateful for Chuck's many contributions to our political coverage during his nearly two-decade career at NBC News and for his deep commitment to Meet the Press and its enduring legacy," adding, "We wish him all the best in his next endeavors."

Chuck Todd replaced on 'Meet the Press' by Kristen Welker

In 2007, the late Tim Russert, who was NBC's Washington bureau chief and "Meet The Press" moderator at the time, recruited Todd to work for NBC News as political director. In 2014, Todd later moderated the network's marquee Sunday program and made splashy headlines during his time at the helm.

In September 2023, he was replaced by NBC News journalist Kristen Welker as moderator of "Meet The Press."

"The last nine years as moderator of the longest running show on television has been the honor of my professional life, and as I prepare to pass the baton to the next custodian, it is a privilege to pass it to someone who needs no introduction," Todd said at the time.

Chuck Todd's NBC News exit comes as Jim Acosta, Norah O'Donnell and Hoda Kotb leave longtime TV homes

Todd's NBC News departure arrives amid a flurry of changes for the TV news business in America as anchors with household name IDs flee to the exit doors.

Hoda Kotb left "Today" on Jan. 10 and Norah O'Donnell signed off from "CBS Evening News" on Jan. 23. On Tuesday, Jim Acosta announced he's exiting the network after "weighing an alternative time slot CNN offered me."

Last week, struggling CNN shifted much of its programming lineup, bumping hosts such as Jake Tapper and Wolf Blitzer to different timeslots as the company cuts about 200 TV positions, or 6% of its workforce, according to the network's own reporting. The company previously removed Acosta from their lineup, leaving him without a show.

CNN's Alyson Camerota and Poppy Harlow left CNN last year, and Chris Wallace announced he was leaving the network, too. Univision anchor Jorge Ramos left the U.S. Spanish language network shortly after the 2024 election.

This story has been updated to include additional information.