Craig Melvin Steps Away From 'Today' After Intruder Scare
WHO:
Fox News - The intruder, identified as Andrew Truelove, is 41 years old and has a criminal record spanning at least two decades, including charges of attempted kidnapping and trespassing.
Yahoo - Savannah Guthrie explained the reason for Melvin's absence at the start of Monday's broadcast.
Yahoo - Laura Jarrett was filling in for Savannah Guthrie during the broadcast.
NY Post - Craig Melvin, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, Dylan Dreyer, Taylor Twellman, Laura Jarrett
Yahoo - U.S. Men's National Soccer Team player Taylor Twellman
WHAT:
Fox News - Andrew Truelove was arrested at 8:57 a.m. after allegedly confronting Craig Melvin with a racial slur in a private area of the building not open to the public.
Fox News - Truelove faces hate crime charges of burglary, a felony, and menacing, a misdemeanor, in connection with the incident involving Melvin.
Yahoo - Craig Melvin will be on vacation for approximately one week.
Yahoo - The intruder entered the studios around 9am.
NY Post - Craig Melvin is taking time off from the Today show following an intruder incident.
Yahoo - An intruder was detained after breaking into the Today studios and has been charged with hate crime-burglary, hate crime-menacing, hate crime-criminal trespass, and harassment.
NY Post - The intruder confronted Craig Melvin and yelled racial slurs.
Yahoo - The Today show announced that Taylor Twellman will fill in for Craig Melvin during his absence.
WHERE:
NY Post - The incident occurred at the Today studios, specifically Studio 1A.
WHEN:
Yahoo - Savannah Guthrie will take a leave of absence to film her new show, Wordle, in the UK, which is set to debut in 2027.
Yahoo - Craig Melvin's time off began on July 20.
Yahoo - The intruder incident was reported on July 15.
WHY:
Yahoo - The Today show stated that protecting their staff was their highest priority following the incident.
NY Post - The incident prompted a review of security protocols at the Today show to ensure the safety of employees and guests.
HOW:
Fox News - A review of footage revealed Truelove was seen in the background as early as 8:03 a.m. on the day of the incident, taking off a backpack and placing it in or behind a bush outside the building.
Yahoo - Al Roker expressed gratitude on social media for those who checked in on Craig Melvin after the incident, stating, "You come after one of us, you come after all of us."
NY Post - Craig Melvin addressed the incident on air, stating, "You may have heard that unfortunately an intruder made his way into an unauthorized area here at Studio 1A. Thankfully he was apprehended quickly."
Yahoo - The Today show is cooperating fully with law enforcement as they investigate the matter.
(UPDATED July 20, 2026 20:23 UTC)
Andrew Truelove, a 41-year-old with a criminal record that includes charges of attempted kidnapping and trespassing, was arrested after allegedly confronting Craig Melvin with a racial slur in a private area of a building. He now faces hate crime charges of burglary, a felony, and menacing, a misdemeanor, related to this incident. Surveillance footage shows Truelove was present as early as 8:03 a.m. that day, seen taking off a backpack and placing it in or behind a bush outside the building.
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(UPDATED July 20, 2026 18:37 UTC)
Craig Melvin will be on vacation for approximately one week, and during this time, Laura Jarrett is filling in for Savannah Guthrie, who will take a leave of absence to film her new show, Wordle, in the UK, set to debut in 2027. The Today show emphasized that protecting their staff is their highest priority following an incident where an intruder entered the studios around 9 a.m. Al Roker took to social media to express gratitude for those who checked in on Craig, stating, "You come after one of us, you come after all of us."
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(UPDATED July 20, 2026 15:36 UTC)
Craig Melvin is taking time off from the Today show after an intruder broke into the studio and confronted him while yelling racial slurs, leading to the suspect's detention and multiple charges, including hate crime-burglary. During Melvin's absence, U.S. Men's National Soccer Team player Taylor Twellman will fill in for him. The incident has prompted the Today show to review its security protocols to ensure the safety of employees and guests while cooperating fully with law enforcement in the ongoing investigation.