The khakis are on the move.
Steve Kornacki, the undisputed king of election night big-board mastery (though CNN’s John King may have something to say about that), is leaving MSNBC to appear exclusively on NBC, as first reported by the Los Angeles Times.
This is not like jumping from the Earth to the moon, or even from MSNBC to Fox News. But it’s still a notable change — and more fallout from parent company Comcast’s upcoming spin-off of MSNBC to create a separate company. MSNBC and NBC will become separate newsgathering operations.
That makes some sense, at least philosophically. MSNBC is clearly a left-leaning network, with hosts like Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O’Donnell regularly calling out Republicans. It’s an answer of a sort to Fox News personalities’ constant pounding of Democrats and support of Donald Trump (though with much lower ratings).
Steve Kornacki is known for his khakis (and expertise)
NBC News is more down the middle (though either political side will probably tell you differently). That’s a good fit for Kornacki and his data-driven reporting. Of course, it’s his style, perhaps best described as “cool geek,” that attracts viewers. That and his expertise.
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And his pants.
Kornacki is known for his trademark Gap khakis, which he wears with a button-down shirt with rolled-up sleeves and a messy tie. No jacket required. He just looks like a number cruncher, too busy deciphering information to worry about whether his Windsor knot is tight. (Oddly, he wore dark pants during MSNBC’s 2024 election night coverage.)
MSNBC canceled Joy Reid’s show in February
Kornacki has already appeared on NBC News and NBC Sports broadcasts, such as the Triple Crown and NFL games. This move will free him up for even more appearances on NBC News and Sports shows.
Still, it’s a big loss for MSNBC. Kornacki had his own “Kornacki Cam” during 2024 election night coverage, a camera that was dedicated to him that you could watch streaming on Peacock.
It’s the second major talent loss for MSNBC in 2025. The network canceled Joy Reid’s show, “The Reid Out,” in February.
MSNBC also announced on April 1 that NBC News correspondent Antonia Hylton is moving to MSNBC. The coming and going will doubtless continue.
Steve Kornacki covers Kentucky Derby: Why stop there?
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(This story was updated to add new information.)
