Elise Jordan, an American journalist and political analyst, is a co-host of The Weekend Primetime on MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) and a columnist for Time magazine. Born on 23 September 1983 in Holly Springs, Mississippi, she is 43 years old as of October 2026. Her career spans White House speechwriting, foreign policy advising, and television commentary. She was first married to journalist Michael Hastings, who died in a car crash in 2013, and is now married to Mike Hogan, with whom she has a daughter, Mary Clyde, born in 2020.
Early Life and Education
Elise Jordan was born on 23 September 1983 in Holly Springs, Mississippi, to parents Kelly Jordan and Susan Boone Jordan. She grew up with her brother, Russell Jordan. From an early age, she showed an adventurous spirit and a passion for the arts, developing a love for dance and admiration for cultural figures such as Michael Jackson. Jordan was inspired to pursue journalism in part by an uncle who was a journalist.
She attended Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, graduating in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in history. That foundation led directly into a career at the highest levels of American government.
Career in Politics and Media
After graduating, Jordan joined the George W. Bush administration, serving in the White House Office of Presidential Speechwriting. She later moved to the State Department, where she worked as a speechwriter for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. In 2007, Elise joined the National Security Council, focusing on press and communications strategy for US operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Jordan's experience extended into political advisory work. In 2016, she served as a policy and communications adviser to Senator Rand Paul's presidential campaign. Her move into broadcast journalism saw her become a contributing political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. She appeared regularly on programmes such as Morning Joe and contributed columns to Time magazine throughout her career.
Political Stance and Public Criticism of Trump
Jordan's career has been rooted in Republican circles — she served under a Republican US president and advised a Republican senator. However, she has become one of the most prominent media critics of Donald Trump. In 2017, Elise stated that defending Trump was "equivalent to hugging a bomber", a remark that drew widespread attention. She is best described as a centrist or moderate Republican commentator who has broken with the party on Trump.
First Husband: Michael Hastings
In 2007, Elise Jordan met Michael Hastings, a journalist and published author renowned for his coverage of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hastings is best known for his 2010 Rolling Stone cover story "The Runaway General," which contributed to the resignation of General Stanley McChrystal and earned him a George Polk Award for magazine reporting.
Elise and Hastings married in 2011. Their relationship ended tragically when Michael Hastings died on 18 June 2013 in a car crash in Los Angeles. He was 33 years old. Shortly after Hastings' death, Elise told CNN's Piers Morgan: "I have no doubt that he was pursuing a hot story. He always had at least five hot stories going — that was Michael. My gut here is that it was just a really tragic accident, and I'm very unlucky and the world is very unlucky."
Current Marriage and Family
Yes, Elise Jordan is still married. In 2017, she married Mike Hogan, a digital director, in a small private ceremony. The couple has one daughter together, Mary Clyde, who was born in 2020.
Recent Developments and Net Worth
In November 2025, MSNBC rebranded as MS NOW. Jordan joined the relaunched network as co-host of The Weekend Primetime, a role she has continued in through 2026. She has continued to contribute commentary on US politics and foreign policy across the network's programming.
Elise Jordan's net worth has not been publicly disclosed. Given her long career across government communications, print journalism, and television, the political journalist has built respectable wealth.
