CNN poaches WaPo vet Philip Rucker

• Rucker, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, has been with the paper for two decades. He was one of the top chroniclers of President Trump's first term. He co-authored two No. 1 New York Times bestselling books about the president in 2020 and 2021.

Zoom in: In his new role, Rucker will spearhead the network's coverage of the second Trump administration.

• He will help manage newsgathering efforts around politics while also overseeing the use of that reporting across all of CNN's platforms, including its digital products.
• "I look forward to collaborating with the world-class journalists at CNN to help chart a new era of digital transformation," Rucker said in a statement. "Together we will cover the fast-paced stories that lie ahead with authority, curiosity, precision and creativity."
• Rucker will be based out of CNN's Washington bureau. He starts on Feb. 10.

The big picture: Rucker joins CNN at a critical time for the network. CNN took an oppositional approach toward coverage of Donald Trump during his first presidency. Under new leadership, the network has tried to take a more tempered approach to its political coverage.

Disclosure: The author is a paid contributor to CNN.