NBC News’ Washington bureau announced a series of staff changes as Pete Williams departs next week as justice correspondent.
Williams, who has been covering the Justice Department and Supreme Court, announced in May that he would retire after almost 30 years at the network. His last day will be July 31.
Ken Dilanian will be promoted to justice and intelligence correspondent. He’s been with the network for six years and has broken stories on topics including the Trump-Ukraine impeachment hearings, and recently did an investigation of how the FBI missed warning signs of a school shooting.
Kelly O’Donnell, senior White House correspondent, will add to her duties coverage of the Supreme Court on an interim basis until a full-time correspondent is hired. She has been covering Washington since the Clinton administration. In 2016, she was the first to report that Hillary Clinton called Donald Trump to concede the presidential race.
Julia Ainsley will serve as NBC News’ homeland security correspondent, having covered the DOJ and the Department of Homeland Security. She’s filed reports on the delayed law enforcement response to the Uvalde shootings, and has done extensive coverage of the southern border.
Jonathan Dienst, WNBC’s chief investigative reporter and NBC News contributing correspondent, will continue to work with Tom Winter, Mike Kosnar and the network’s investigative teams as chief justice contributor.
The NBCU News Group Washington bureau has 400 employees. Ken Strickland, NBC News senior vice president, serves as Washington bureau chief.