Savannah Guthrie's missing mom shows the risks of public life | Opinion
Anyone in the public eye can become a target for an evil person. As an opinion columnist, I get my share of threats. What I didn't expect was threats against my family – and those have come, too.
Ingrid JacquesI can’t imagine what “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie is going through as the search for her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, continues.
The elderly woman was reported missing Feb. 1, and authorities believe she was forcibly taken from her Tucson, Arizona-area home. She has limited mobility and relies on medications for her health.
“We do believe that Nancy was taken from her home against her will, and that’s where we’re at,” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told reporters on Tuesday, Feb. 3.
Now, there are reports that TMZ and CBS News affiliate KOLD News have received ransom notes related to Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.
On Feb. 2, Savannah Guthrie shared a statement on Instagram asking for prayers for her mother:
“We believe in prayer. We believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. We believe in goodness. We believe in humanity. Above all, we believe in Him. Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant. Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment.”
Savannah Guthrie's year was off to a great start – until now
Things were looking up in 2026 for Savannah Guthrie before this horrific incident. Just days before her mother’s disappearance, she had returned to her TV role after taking several weeks off for vocal cord surgery.
She was also set to head to Italy to host the Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Feb. 6.
NBC has confirmed she will no longer be doing this as the search for her mother continues.
Even President Donald Trump has weighed in. On Feb. 3, he told reporters in the Oval Office that he thinks what’s happened is “terrible” and that he had plans to call the morning show host.
In the more than 14 years Savannah Guthrie has appeared on the “Today” show, viewers have gotten to know her mother. Nancy Guthrie made a few appearances, including taking part in a cooking demonstration, and has shown up to surprise her daughter on special occasions.
Anyone with an elderly mother can empathize with Guthrie
The mother and daughter are clearly close, which makes me think of my own relationship with my mother, who is in her 70s.
I would be beyond heartbroken if anything like this happened to her.
While a kidnapping at any age is horrific, there is an extra vulnerability when considering an elderly person.
The journalist and her family must feel so helpless as law enforcement tracks all leads – and the hours tick by.
This tragedy has also made me think about the dangers of having such a public job, as Guthrie does.
Anyone in the public eye can become a target for a demented or evil person. We saw this in September, when conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking before a large crowd. Trump himself nearly was killed, too, in 2024, while on the reelection campaign trail. Many others – on the left and right – have faced threats on their lives.
As an opinion columnist, I get my share of threats. While discouraging, it’s kind of expected in this job. What I didn’t expect was threats against my family – and those have come, too. It’s made me very careful about what I write and what I post online.
No one should have to fear for their lives – or the lives of their loved ones – just for doing their jobs. Yet, that is the sad state of our society.
My heart goes out to Savannah Guthrie. I pray for her mother’s safe return and justice for whoever did this horrible act.
Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at [email protected] or on X: @Ingrid_Jacques