Brian Williams Leaves NBC Anchor Desk for ‘Several Days’ Amid Controversy

NBC News anchor Brian Williams said Saturday that he would not anchor Nightly News “for the next several days” while he deals with growing controversy over his disputed account of coming under fire while reporting in Iraq.

“In the midst of a career spent covering and consuming news, it has become painfully apparent to me that I am presently too much a part of the news, due to my actions,” Williams said in a statement. “As Managing Editor of NBC Nightly News, I have decided to take myself off of my daily broadcast for the next several days, and Lester Holt has kindly agreed to sit in for me to allow us to adequately deal with this issue. Upon my return, I will continue my career-long effort to be worthy of the trust of those who place their trust in us.”

Williams has been under scrutiny in recent days after his tale of being in an aircraft that came under fire in Iraq in 2003, told often over the years, was disputed by military service members who were there. He apologized and recanted the story on Wednesday. He now faces an internal NBC News investigation.