Jonathan Lemire

Jonathan Lemire was born on November 28, 1979, in Lowell, Massachusetts, to Susan (née O’Brien) and Robert C. Lemire Jr. His mother worked for the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and his father was a high school teacher. He attended Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts, where he excelled in track and field. Lemire then pursued higher education at Columbia University, graduating in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in history. During his time at Columbia, he wrote for the student newspaper, the *Columbia Daily Spectator*, and further developed his interest in journalism through a key internship.

Lemire’s career began unexpectedly with an internship at the *New York Daily News* in 2001. Although initially told a permanent position was unlikely, the landscape shifted dramatically after the September 11th terrorist attacks, leading to his eventual hiring. He spent over a decade at the *New York Daily News*, covering significant events such as the 2012 presidential election, City Hall affairs, and the aftermath of the September 11th attacks. This period provided foundational experience in fast-paced news reporting and in-depth local coverage before he transitioned to national politics.

In 2013, Lemire moved to The Associated Press, where he covered New York City politics and later became a White House reporter. During his tenure at the AP, he reported on two presidential administrations, those of Donald Trump and Joe Biden, and played a key role in covering the 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns. He gained significant media attention for his direct questions to President Trump regarding Russia’s Vladimir Putin at the 2018 Helsinki summit. Lemire has also been a regular political analyst for MSNBC and NBC News, leading to his appointment as the host of ”Way Too Early” on MSNBC in 2021 and becoming a co-host of ”Morning Joe” in 2025. He joined Politico as White House Bureau Chief in October 2021 and became a staff writer for *The Atlantic* in August 2025.