Veteran NBC anchor Chuck Todd publicly criticized the leadership of his own network on Sunday, questioning the decision to hire Ronna McDaniel, the former chairwoman of the Republican National Committee. Todd declared live on air, “There’s a reason why there are a lot of journalists at NBC News uncomfortable with this.”

Todd’s comments on “Meet the Press” marked an escalation of tensions within NBC News and MSNBC since McDaniel’s hiring as a political analyst. Some NBC journalists were surprised by the decision due to McDaniel’s association with President Trump and her criticisms of left-leaning programs on MSNBC.

MSNBC president Rashida Jones assured prominent anchors they would not be required to feature McDaniel on their shows. This assurance was given to maintain their privacy.

McDaniel made her NBC debut on “Meet the Press” that had been scheduled prior to her joining as a contributor. Todd, during a live discussion panel, expressed concerns about McDaniel’s credibility and the impact on NBC News’s reputation.

Todd’s remarks reflected the discomfort many journalists at NBC News felt, given their history of professional interactions with the RNC under Trump’s administration.

McDaniel declined to comment on the situation and the path from Washington politics to a media analyst role has been established. NBC News values diverse voices in their campaign coverage, as noted in their memo announcing McDaniel’s role.

In her interview, McDaniel stated that President Biden won the election “fair and square,” addressing concerns about the legitimacy of the election. The interview received praise for Welker’s handling of the discussion.

Symone D. Sanders, a former Harris spokeswoman now on MSNBC, commended Welker for getting McDaniel on the record during the interview.