Mary Louise Kelly bids farewell on All Things Considered

A 25‑year NPR career spanning reporting, hosting and writing

Kelly has accumulated 31 years and 7 months of professional experience throughout her career. Her tenure at NPR included serving as a host for All Things Considered since January 2018.

She also worked as a National Security Correspondent for the outlet from January 2016 to January 2018. Since August 2025, she has was a host for the programme Source & Methods.

Her professional activities extend beyond NPR, including a role as a contributing writer at The Atlantic since January 2014. She has also worked as a moderator and interviewer at The Aspen Institute since June 2015.

Kelly was an author at Henry Holt & Company from January 2023 to November 2025.

From editor to on‑air voice: Kelly’s All Things Considered journey begins in 2001

Kelly began her journey with All Things Considered in 2001 after interviewing with longtime host Robert Siegel for an editor position. She was an editor for the programme for three years before transitioning into a reporting role.

During this period, she also launched the intelligence beat for NPR. Her reporting included an on-air account where she stated that Mike Pompeo used profanity and challenged her to identify Ukraine on a map.

The 2020 interview with the former Secretary of State ended when a State Department staffer intervened.

Signature reporting moments: Pompeo interview, Afghanistan trip and more

Kelly’s reporting career included covering independent election monitors in Russia, a military parade in North Korea, and a trip through Afghanistan with then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Editor Bruce Auster described this approach as "bearing witness," specifically citing her Afghanistan travel.

In 2017, while guest hosting, Kelly interviewed then-NPR CEO Jarl Mohn regarding a newsroom sexual harassment scandal.

Following that interview, she reported that Pompeo used profanity, asked if Americans cared about Ukraine, and challenged her to identify Ukraine on a blank map. Pompeo’s office subsequently issued a statement claiming the conversation was off the record. The office also implied that Kelly incorrectly identified Bangladesh as being in South Asia, 3,000 miles away from Ukraine.

Kelly discussed this incident years later with Terry Gross on the WHYY programme "Fresh Air". During that interview, Gross asked: "After the Secretary of State lies about you, how do you trust anything that he says after that?".

Kelly responded that her journalism is based on verification rather than trust.

She described her process for building a story as reporting, laying out findings, and continuing to investigate further.

Colleagues’ reactions as Kelly leaves the show

Ailsa Chang, who hosts the NPR newsmagazine All Things Considered and the daily news podcast Consider This, expressed that it was very difficult to see Mary Louise Kelly leave the program. During her farewell, Kelly noted that Chang was hugging her.

Kelly will still contribute to NPR after stepping down as host

Mary Louise Kelly is stepping down as a host of All Things Considered, though she will continue to contribute to NPR's airwaves. Kelly has been a voice on NPR for 26 years. She delivered her final sign-off for the program from NPR News on 6 November 2026.

Studio send‑off: Siegel, Shapiro and others join the farewell

During her final broadcast on 6 November 2026, Kelly was in the studio with Ailsa Chang, and noted that Scott, Juana, Robert Siegel, and Ari Shapiro were present to see her off. Terry Gross asked Kelly how she maintains trust in a Secretary of State after they have lied to her. Kelly described her process for building a story as presenting her findings and continuing to report to uncover more information.