Cory Smith Leaves Sunrise On The Hill For NewsNation

Cory Smith quietly disappeared from DC News Now’s (WDVM/WDCW) morning political show , Sunrise on The Hill, several months ago, and now we know why. Smith has joined NewsNation as a Washington correspondent, reporting across its daytime and primetime programming. He started his new job on June 30th.

Smith had co-hosted Sunrise on The Hill with Hillary Howard since the show debuted in July 2025. The program combines resources from The Hill, NewsNation, DC News Now and Nexstar’s Washington bureau, with a heavy focus on politics and how national stories affect the DC region. Interestingly, Smith is still listed as a Sunrise on The Hill host on the DC News Now website.

For anyone wondering whether Smith’s departure could mean changes for Sunrise, it doesn’t look like the show is going anywhere just yet. Nexstar posted a job opening on August 13 for a new digital host/news producer specifically for Sunrise on The Hill, suggesting the company plans to keep the morning program going.