Katie Couric is finally weighing in on one of the most explosive scandals to ever rock morning television — and she’s making it crystal clear where she stands.
The former “Today” show queen didn’t hold back while speaking about disgraced ex-co-anchor Matt Lauer and the woman who brought him down, Brooke Nevils — and her comments are turning heads.
“I feel terrible for her,” Couric admitted during a high-profile appearance at the City Harvest Presents The 2026 Gala: Shaken, Not Stirred in New York City.
The veteran journalist, now 69, praised Nevils for going public with her story, calling her “very brave” for detailing the shocking allegations in her 2020 memoir, Unspeakable Things: Silence, Shame and the Stories We Choose to Believe.
Even though Couric revealed she hasn’t read the entire book, she said what she did see was enough to leave a lasting impact.
“I think she’s very brave to write the book,” she added.
The accusations at the center of the scandal are nothing short of jaw-dropping.
Nevils, a former NBC News employee, alleged that Lauer sexually assaulted her during the 2014 Sochi Olympics while they were on assignment. In her memoir, she further claimed the abuse didn’t stop there — accusing him of another assault inside his office at NBC’s “Today” show headquarters.
The allegations detonated inside NBC in 2017, when Nevils filed a formal complaint that triggered an internal investigation. Within 24 hours of the claims becoming public, Lauer was fired in a stunning fall from grace after decades as one of America’s most recognizable TV faces.
He has denied the allegations, maintaining that their relationship was consensual.
Couric, who co-hosted “Today” alongside Lauer from 1997 to 2006, appeared to separate her personal memories from the scandal that later engulfed the show.
“I will always have the happiest memories of my 15 years on the ‘Today’ show,” she said, describing it as one of the most exciting and fast-paced jobs in television.
She acknowledged the grueling early mornings — often waking up at 3 a.m. — but said the intense schedule created a tight-knit, almost family-like bond among staff.
Still, the shadow of the scandal looms large over the legacy of the iconic morning program.
And Couric didn’t stop there.
In a separate conversation ahead of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, she also took aim at Donald Trump, accusing the current president of repeatedly attacking journalists while simultaneously seeking their attention.
“We’ve got this president who trashes the press, who insults reporters on a daily basis — especially female reporters, but really all reporters — who has no respect for the First Amendment,” she said.
Couric pointed to what she called a glaring contradiction in Trump’s behavior, saying it’s “weird” to see a room full of journalists covering someone who, in her view, openly disdains them while still craving their approval.
The timing of her remarks — and her willingness to revisit the Lauer scandal — is once again putting one of television’s darkest chapters back in the spotlight.
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