Nick Schmit is the husband of Jonathan Capehart, the journalist and television host known for his work as a political commentator and, more recently, as co-host of “The Weekend” on MS NOW. Nick previously worked as the assistant chief of protocol at the U.S. State Department, and he and Jonathan married in January 2017 after dating for more than five years. This article gathers the verified facts about Nick Schmit, his career in government service, and his marriage to one of American journalism’s most prominent openly gay figures.
Nick Schmit: Quick Bio Table
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Nick Schmit |
| Occupation | Former assistant chief of protocol, U.S. State Department |
| Spouse | Jonathan Capehart, journalist and television host |
| Engaged | May 2016 |
| Married | January 7, 2017 |
| Officiant | Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder |
| Known For | Being Jonathan Capehart’s husband |
A Career in Government Protocol
Nick Schmit built a career in government service, working as the assistant chief of protocol at the U.S. State Department, a position responsible for managing the diplomatic customs, ceremonies, and formal procedures involved in the country’s relationships with foreign governments and dignitaries. This kind of role requires significant attention to detail and a deep understanding of diplomatic customs, since protocol officers are responsible for ensuring that formal interactions between the United States government and foreign officials proceed according to established diplomatic norms.
Working within the State Department’s protocol office placed Nick at the center of the practical, ceremonial side of American diplomacy, a career path that, while less publicly visible than many other government roles, plays a significant behind the scenes function in facilitating smooth diplomatic relations and formal state functions involving foreign dignitaries and officials.
The Office of the Chief of Protocol at the State Department handles a wide range of responsibilities, including managing visits by foreign heads of state, coordinating credentialing ceremonies for foreign ambassadors, and ensuring that official events adhere to established diplomatic customs and precedence. An assistant chief of protocol typically supports these functions directly, working alongside more senior protocol officials to manage the logistics and ceremonial details that accompany high level diplomatic engagements. This kind of position requires meticulous attention to detail, since even minor missteps in diplomatic protocol can carry unintended symbolic weight in the context of international relations.
Meeting and Marrying Jonathan Capehart
Nick Schmit and Jonathan Capehart dated for more than five years before becoming engaged in May 2016, eventually marrying on January 7, 2017. Their wedding was officiated by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, a detail that reflected the couple’s connections within Washington’s political and government circles, given both Jonathan’s career covering politics as a journalist and Nick’s own background working within a federal government agency.
This lengthy period of dating before marriage, spanning more than five years, suggests a relationship built on a substantial foundation before the couple made the decision to marry, a timeline that is not unusual for couples navigating demanding careers, particularly given Jonathan’s high profile role in political journalism and Nick’s own government position, both of which likely required significant time and attention throughout the years they were dating.
Their January 2017 wedding date placed it at a particularly significant moment in American political history, occurring just days before a presidential transition, a timing that added a layer of symbolic significance to the ceremony given both Jonathan’s career covering political events and the broader national conversation happening around LGBTQ rights and marriage equality during this period. Same sex marriage had only become legal nationwide in the United States in 2015, following the Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, meaning Nick and Jonathan’s wedding took place during a period when marriage equality itself remained a relatively recent legal development.
Jonathan Capehart’s Career in Journalism
To understand the public context surrounding Nick’s marriage, it helps to understand his husband’s significant career in American journalism. Jonathan Capehart has built a long career as a journalist and political commentator, eventually becoming co-host of “The Weekend” on MS NOW, a position that made him one of the first two openly gay Black men to host a national American television program. This achievement placed Jonathan among a small group of journalists who have broken significant barriers within American broadcast media.
The significance of this milestone reflects a broader, gradual shift within American television news toward greater representation of openly LGBTQ journalists and hosts in prominent, highly visible roles, a shift that has unfolded over several decades as attitudes toward LGBTQ visibility in media have evolved considerably. Capehart’s role as one of the first two openly gay Black men to host a national American television program places him within a specific and historically significant category of representation, distinct even from the broader progress made by openly LGBTQ journalists more generally across American media.
Capehart’s career has spanned print and broadcast journalism, building a reputation as a thoughtful commentator on American politics and public affairs. His visibility as an openly gay journalist and television host has made him a notable figure within discussions of representation in American media, and his marriage to Nick has occasionally been referenced in profiles and interviews exploring Capehart’s personal life alongside his professional career.
Before his current role, Capehart spent years as an editorial writer and columnist, work that earned him recognition within American journalism as a thoughtful voice on issues ranging from civil rights to national politics. His transition into television commentary and eventually into hosting his own program reflected a broader trajectory increasingly common among print journalists who have expanded into broadcast media as the media landscape has evolved, allowing established print journalists to reach considerably larger audiences through television appearances and, eventually, hosting roles of their own.
Life Away From the Cameras
Unlike his husband, who has built a significant public profile through his work in broadcast journalism, Nick Schmit has maintained a comparatively private life, with most publicly available information about him connected directly to his government career and his marriage to Jonathan rather than to any independent media presence of his own. This kind of relative privacy is common among spouses of prominent journalists and media figures who have not themselves sought a public facing career in entertainment or media.
Nick’s own career within a federal government agency, rather than in the entertainment or media industries his husband works within, has meant that his public profile remains considerably more limited, consistent with someone whose professional life exists largely outside of the media spotlight that follows his husband’s television career.
This kind of career divergence between spouses, one working in a highly public facing media role and the other in a comparatively behind the scenes government position, is a pattern seen among a number of couples in Washington, where one partner’s career draws significant public attention while the other’s professional life remains largely outside of public view despite operating within the same broader political and government ecosystem of the city.
A Wedding Reflecting Washington Connections
The choice of former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to officiate Nick and Jonathan’s wedding reflected the couple’s connections within Washington political and government circles, a detail that has been referenced in profiles covering their marriage. Holder, who served as Attorney General during the Obama administration, brought a significant level of political prominence to the ceremony, underscoring the couple’s standing within Washington’s broader political and media community.
This kind of officiant choice, drawing on a significant political figure with personal ties to the couple, is not unusual for high profile weddings within Washington’s political and media circles, where personal and professional relationships often intersect closely given the relatively close knit nature of the city’s political and journalism communities.
Eric Holder served as United States Attorney General during the Obama administration, a position that placed him at the center of significant policy decisions during his tenure, including the Department of Justice’s approach to marriage equality litigation leading up to the Obergefell decision. His willingness to officiate Nick and Jonathan’s wedding personally reflected a level of personal relationship between Holder and the couple that extended beyond a purely professional connection, suggesting genuine friendship developed through Jonathan’s years covering Washington politics and policy.
Why People Search for Nick Schmit
Public interest in Nick Schmit comes almost entirely from his marriage to Jonathan Capehart, a prominent journalist and television host known for his work as co-host of “The Weekend” on MS NOW and his significance as one of the first openly gay Black men to host a national American television program. Fans of Capehart’s journalism and commentary, as well as those interested in the personal lives of prominent media figures, often search for information about Nick as part of understanding the full picture of Capehart’s personal life alongside his professional career.
This interest often intensifies whenever Capehart’s career reaches a new milestone or receives fresh media attention, since profiles covering his achievements in broadcast journalism frequently include background on his personal life, including his marriage to Nick, as part of establishing a fuller picture of the journalist behind the on air commentary and analysis.
Conclusion
Nick Schmit built a career in government service as the assistant chief of protocol at the U.S. State Department before marrying journalist and television host Jonathan Capehart in January 2017, following more than five years of dating. Their wedding, officiated by former Attorney General Eric Holder, took place at a historically significant moment for marriage equality in the United States, only a few years after the Supreme Court’s Obergefell ruling made same sex marriage legal nationwide. While he has maintained a comparatively private life relative to his husband’s significant public profile in broadcast journalism, his marriage to Capehart has connected him to ongoing public interest in one of American media’s most notable openly gay figures.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nick Schmit
Who is Nick Schmit?
Nick Schmit is the husband of journalist and television host Jonathan Capehart, whom he married in January 2017.
What did Nick Schmit do for a career?
He worked as the assistant chief of protocol at the U.S. State Department.
When did Nick Schmit and Jonathan Capehart marry?
They married on January 7, 2017, following an engagement in May 2016.
Who officiated Nick Schmit and Jonathan Capehart’s wedding?
Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder officiated the ceremony.
Is Nick Schmit a public figure?
No. He has maintained a private life, with most public information about him connected to his government career and his marriage to Jonathan Capehart.
