‘Facts matter:’ Lester Holt ends ‘NBC Nightly News’ tenure

Lester Holt hosted his last “NBC Nightly News” show on Friday after a 14 year tenure as its anchor. The highly decorated reporter bid viewers a farewell by reminding them of their core values that guide the team’s coverage.

“I’m so grateful for your trust around here,. Facts matter, words matter, journalism matters, and you matter,” Holt said.

“Over the last decade, we have shared some dark and harrowing days and nights of our country, the pandemic, mass shootings, natural disasters, each testing our resilience and our compassion. That’s why I often like to leave you with something to smile about, moments that reassure and connect us,” he added.

Holt announced he would step down in February after covering Trump throughout his first administration and earning praise for his ability to fact-check the leader in real time. He moderated the first presidential debate of 2016, covered January 6th riots and traveled to Israel to provide insight on Hamas’ 2023 attack on Israel while anchoring NBC’s “Dateline.”

In 2018, a Hollywood Reporter poll found that Holt was the most trusted television news personality in America.

“I will miss the team that puts it all together, my dear friends and my colleagues. But for now, I just want to say thank you to my incredibly supportive and patient family and all of you,” Holt said during his last show. 

Tom Llamas will succeed Holt as host and concurrently serve as the “NBC Nightly News” managing editor. 

“I wish Tom great success,” Holt said Friday.