Peter Alexander: NBC News Correspondent and Co-Host of Saturday TODAY
Peter Marvin Alexander (born July 29, 1976) is an American journalist and television presenter.
As of 2026, he works for MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) as the anchor of its weekday 11 a.m. ET hour, chief national reporter, and a breaking news anchor.
He previously spent 22 years at NBC News (2004–2026), serving as chief White House correspondent and co-anchor of Saturday TODAY.
Early Life and Education
Alexander was born in Oakland, California, to David Alexander (an attorney) and Terry (née Pink) Alexander.
His parents divorced when he was young; he was primarily raised by his mother in the East Bay area. He is Jewish.
He has a younger sister, Rebecca Alexander (born February 4, 1979), a psychotherapist, author, and disability advocate who has Usher syndrome type III (a rare genetic condition causing progressive vision and hearing loss).
Some older sources also reference a twin sibling and a half-sister (Lauren) on his father’s side.
He attended Head-Royce School and graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
Early Career
After graduation, Alexander built experience at local television stations.
He worked at WKYT in Lexington, Kentucky; KHQ-TV in Spokane, Washington (approximately 1998–2000); and later as a lead reporter and substitute evening anchor at KCPQ (Fox affiliate) in Seattle.
These roles sharpened his skills in daily news, breaking coverage, and anchoring before he moved to the national stage.
NBC News Career (2004–2026)
Alexander joined NBC News in 2004. Early in his tenure he focused heavily on international and breaking news. Notable assignments included:
- On-the-ground coverage of Iraq’s historic 2005 elections.
- Reporting on the death of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.
- Coverage of the devastating tsunami in Indonesia (Banda Aceh).
- Dispatches from Afghanistan, the Galápagos Islands, the Gaza Strip, Israel, Laos, Mexico, and environmental reporting from the Northwest Passage in the Arctic.
- Live anchoring of major domestic stories such as the “Miracle on the Hudson” (US Airways Flight 1549) and the Virginia Tech shooting.
- Reporting on the WikiLeaks controversy and Julian Assange.
- Serving as an NBC Sports host and covering the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, 2016 Summer Olympics, and later Olympic Games.
He also produced personal reporting on his sister Rebecca’s experience with Usher syndrome, helping raise awareness of the rare disorder.
White House beat:
In December 2012 Alexander was named an NBC News White House correspondent, covering the presidency of Barack Obama and traveling extensively with the president.
He shifted to a national correspondent role based in Washington, D.C., from 2014 to 2016 (while still frequently reporting from the White House), then returned fully to the White House beat in January 2017.
In January 2021 he was elevated to co-chief White House correspondent alongside Kristen Welker.
After Welker became moderator of Meet the Press, Alexander became the network’s sole chief White House correspondent (a role he held into 2026).
Over roughly 15 years on the beat he covered four presidencies and numerous high-stakes moments, including the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
Saturday TODAY:
In October 2018 Alexander was named co-anchor of the Saturday edition of TODAY, succeeding Craig Melvin.
He continued his White House duties while commuting from the Washington area to New York for the Saturday broadcasts.
He frequently filled in on weekday TODAY hours as well. From approximately 2020–2023 he shared the desk with Kristen Welker; after her move to Meet the Press, Laura Jarrett joined him as co-anchor beginning in September 2023.
Notable exchanges:
Alexander became known for direct, persistent questioning of presidents from both parties.
A widely noted March 20, 2020, White House briefing exchange occurred during the early COVID-19 pandemic, when he asked President Trump about the risk of giving Americans a false sense of hope and what the president would say to scared Americans; Trump responded by calling him a “terrible reporter.”
A similar heated exchange occurred in May 2025 involving questions about a gifted aircraft and related topics.
Awards and recognition:
Alexander is an Emmy-nominated journalist. He received a nomination for Outstanding Live Coverage of a Breaking News Story – Long Form for his work on the NBC News Special Report covering the death of Pope John Paul II.
He has also earned an Edward R. Murrow Award and recognition from the Associated Press, the Radio-Television News Directors Association, and the Society of Professional Journalists.
In 2012 Politico named him one of its “10 Breakout Reporters.” He has been a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Departure from NBC:
On March 28, 2026, during a Saturday TODAY broadcast, Alexander announced he was leaving NBC News after 22 years.
He cited the desire for better work-life balance and more time with his family, noting he had been away from home more than 80 nights in the preceding seven months and more than 200 Friday nights over seven years because of the New York commute required for the Saturday show. Colleagues, including Laura Jarrett, praised his journalism and character on air.
Move to MS NOW (2026–Present)
Shortly after his NBC exit, it was confirmed that Alexander would join MS NOW (the rebranded former MSNBC, operating under Versant following the 2025 spin-off from NBCUniversal).
He anchors the weekday 11 a.m. ET hour (succeeding Ana Cabrera in a daytime lineup overhaul), serves as chief national reporter, and acts as a breaking news anchor.
Network leadership described him as one of the most respected and beloved journalists in the Washington press corps, noting his professionalism, intrepid reporting, and ability to handle hard news, politics, and lifestyle content with equal skill.
He is among a group of NBC News alumni who moved to MS NOW after the corporate separation.
Personal Life
Alexander married Alison Starling (former longtime anchor at WJLA-TV / ABC affiliate in Washington, D.C., who retired around 2023) on April 21, 2012, at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.
They met as competing reporters in Seattle. They have two daughters, Ava (born 2013) and Emma (born 2015), and live in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. (Virginia area). The family observes blended Jewish and Christian holiday traditions.
As of July 29, 2026, he is 50 years old. Details such as exact height, weight, and precise net worth/salary are not officially confirmed; older estimates placed net worth around $14 million and annual salary near $1.5 million, but these are unverified and should be treated cautiously.
Sources
Primary references include Wikipedia’s entry on Peter Alexander (journalist), contemporaneous reporting from the Los Angeles Times, Variety, Forbes, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, TODAY.com/NBC, and related profiles. Information is current as of late July 2026.
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