Nicolle Devenish Wallace (born February 4, 1972) is an American television anchor, political analyst, and author. She hosts Deadline: White House on MS NOW and serves as chief political analyst for MSNBC and NBC News.
Before her media career, she served as White House Communications Director under President George W. Bush.
Who is Nicolle Wallace?
Nicolle Wallace is one of the most recognized voices in American political television. She anchors Deadline: White House, a weekday news and politics program airing on MS NOW.
Her career is uniquely positioned at the intersection of politics and journalism.
Wallace served in the White House under George W. Bush from 2001 to 2006. She later advised John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign as a senior political strategist. After leaving politics, she transitioned into broadcast journalism, authorship, and daytime television.
She is also a published novelist whose books draw on her insider knowledge of Washington, D.C.
Additionally, Wallace co-hosted the ABC daytime talk show The View for one season. Her career spans government communications, prime-time anchoring, and literary fiction, making her one of the most versatile figures in American media.
Early Life of Nicolle Wallace
Nicolle Devenish was born on February 4, 1972, in Orange County, California. She grew up in Orinda, in Northern California. Her mother worked as a teacher’s assistant in public schools, and her father was an antique dealer.
She was the eldest of four children in her family. Her siblings are Zachary, Courtney, and Ashley Devenish. Additionally, her grandfather, originally from England, immigrated to the United States in 1947.
Her childhood in Northern California shaped her early interest in communications.
Wallace attended Miramonte High School in Orinda, graduating in 1990. She has described an early passion for civic life and communications that guided her toward both politics and journalism.
Nicolle Wallace Age
Nicolle Wallace is 54 years old as of June 6, 2026, born on February 4, 1972. Her Zodiac sign is Aquarius, a sign often associated with independent thinking and strong communication. At 54, she continues to anchor one of MSNBC’s flagship political programs.
Nicolle Wallace Ethnicity and Nationality
Nicolle Wallace holds American nationality, born and raised in California. Her family background includes English ancestry on her grandfather’s side, as he emigrated from England to the United States in 1947. She has built her career in California, Washington, D.C., and New York City.
Nicolle Wallace Education
Nicolle Wallace’s academic foundation reflects her dedication to communications and journalism. After graduating from Miramonte High School in 1990, she enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from UC Berkeley in 1994.
Wallace then pursued graduate-level journalism training at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in Illinois. She received her master’s degree from Medill in 1996.
Her combined academic training prepared her for both political communications and broadcast reporting.
Nicolle Wallace Career
Nicolle Wallace has built one of the most distinctive careers in American media. Her path moved from California state politics to the White House to national television, spanning nearly three decades.
Early Political Career
After completing her master’s degree in 1996, Wallace returned to California. She briefly worked as an on-air television reporter before pivoting to politics.
In 1997, she joined the Republican Caucus of the California State Assembly. That early political work connected her to major Republican campaigns in the state.
She then moved to Florida.
In 1999, Wallace became the press secretary for newly elected Florida Governor Jeb Bush. The following year, she worked on the recount effort during the 2000 presidential election in her role as communications director for the Florida State Technology Office.
White House Communications Director
George W. Bush named Nicolle Wallace as White House Communications Director in early 2005. She served in that role through July 2006, advising the president on messaging during his second term.
That appointment placed her at the highest levels of American government communications.
In July 2006, she left the White House and moved to New York City. She later served as a senior political advisor to John McCain during his 2008 presidential campaign. In the 2012 HBO film Game Change, actress Sarah Paulson portrayed Wallace in the dramatization of the McCain-Palin campaign.
Transition to Media and Authorship
After the 2008 election, Wallace stepped away from politics and focused on writing. She published her debut novel, Eighteen Acres, in 2010. The book, whose title refers to the size of the White House grounds, drew on her insider experience.
Her writing earned significant attention from publishers and readers alike.
She followed that with a sequel, It’s Classified, in 2011, and a third novel, Madam President, in 2015. Both Eighteen Acres and Madam President became New York Times bestsellers.
Wallace also spent a season as a co-host of the ABC daytime talk show The View. Additionally, she appeared as a panelist on MSNBC’s Morning Joe for several years before moving into anchoring.
Deadline: White House and MSNBC
On May 9, 2017, Wallace launched Deadline: White House on MSNBC. The program quickly became one of the network’s most-watched afternoon offerings.
The show was expanded to a two-hour format in 2020. That same year, the Washington Post reported that MSNBC elevated Wallace to serve as the heart of the network’s midday programming.
She also hosts the podcast “The Best People with Nicolle Wallace.”
In November 2023, Wallace went on maternity leave after welcoming a daughter. She returned to anchor Deadline: White House on February 26, 2024. As of June 2026, she continues to anchor the program daily under the rebranded MS NOW network.
Nicolle Wallace Husband
Nicolle Wallace was previously married to Mark Wallace, a diplomat, lawyer, and entrepreneur. The couple married in 2005, having first met on the campaign trail in 2000. They share one son, Liam, born in 2012. The two announced their divorce in March 2019 after separating earlier.
Their parting was widely reported by Page Six.
After her divorce, Wallace began a relationship with journalist Michael S. Schmidt, a Washington-based correspondent for The New York Times and national security contributor for MSNBC and NBC News. The two first met when Schmidt appeared as a guest on Deadline: White House. They married in a private ceremony in April 2022.
Michael S. Schmidt is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author.
In 2020, Schmidt published the book Donald Trump v. The United States, which became a New York Times bestseller. Wallace and Schmidt have built both a personal and professional partnership rooted in political journalism.
Nicolle Wallace Children
Nicolle Wallace is the mother of two children. Her first child, Liam, was born in 2012 during her marriage to Mark Wallace.
In November 2023, she and Michael Schmidt welcomed a daughter via surrogate.
Their daughter’s name is Isabella Sloane Schmidt. Wallace announced the birth live during a phone call to Deadline: White House, telling viewers she and her family were “smitten” with the baby. She was 51 years old when Isabella was born.
Nicolle Wallace Net Worth
Nicolle Wallace’s estimated net worth is $3 million as of 2026. She has built her wealth through her anchoring career at MSNBC and NBC News, her work as a bestselling novelist, her earlier political career, and various media contributions.
Her salary at MSNBC has not been publicly disclosed.
Her novels, particularly Eighteen Acres and Madam President, reached the New York Times bestseller list and added to her literary income. Overall, her financial standing reflects more than two decades of high-profile work in politics, media, and publishing.
Nicolle Wallace Social Media
Nicolle Wallace is active on Instagram under the handle @nicollewallace. She is also active on X (formerly Twitter) under the handle @NicolleDWallace.
The Deadline: White House show account on Instagram is @deadlinewh.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Nicolle Wallace’s net worth?
Nicolle Wallace’s estimated net worth is $3 million as of 2026. Her income comes from her anchoring role at MSNBC, book royalties, and other media contributions over her career.
How old is Nicolle Wallace?
Nicolle Wallace is 54 years old as of June 6, 2026. She was born on February 4, 1972, in Orange County, California. Her Zodiac sign is Aquarius.
Who is Nicolle Wallace’s husband?
Nicolle Wallace is married to Michael S. Schmidt, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for The New York Times. They married in April 2022. She was previously married to diplomat and lawyer Mark Wallace from 2005 to 2019.
Where was Nicolle Wallace born?
Nicolle Wallace was born in Orange County, California, on February 4, 1972. She grew up in Orinda, in the San Francisco Bay Area, and graduated from Miramonte High School in 1990.
What show does Nicolle Wallace host?
Nicolle Wallace hosts Deadline: White House, a weekday news and politics program on MS NOW. The show premiered on May 9, 2017, and airs from 4 to 6 p.m. ET. She also hosts the podcast “The Best People with Nicolle Wallace.”
What books has Nicolle Wallace written?
Nicolle Wallace has authored three political novels. She published Eighteen Acres in 2010, It’s Classified in 2011, and Madam President in 2015. Both Eighteen Acres and Madam President reached the New York Times bestseller list.
The Bottom Line
Nicolle Wallace has lived multiple careers in one lifetime. From California state politics to the White House to the bestseller lists to MSNBC, she has consistently found ways to contribute at the highest levels of American public life.
Her willingness to evolve is perhaps her most defining trait. She left her Republican political roots behind, re-entered public life as a journalist, and built a media platform that reaches millions of viewers every weekday.
She is proof that reinvention, when rooted in conviction and skill, leads to lasting influence. We hope you enjoyed reading about Nicolle Wallace. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!