Asma Khalid is an American journalist, broadcaster, and podcast host known for her reporting on American politics, elections, and international affairs. She previously worked as an NPR White House correspondent and co-hosted the NPR Politics Podcast.
In 2025, she joined BBC World Service as the co-host of The Global Story, marking a major change in her broadcasting career. Her reporting explores political decisions, cultural differences, voter behavior, and the connections between American politics and international communities. Asma Khalid has earned recognition for her journalism and continues reaching international audiences in 2026.
| Net Worth: | – |
|---|---|
| Real Name: | Asma Khalid |
| Birth Date: | December 11, 1983 |
| Age (as of 2026): | 42 Years |
| Birth Place: | Elmhurst, Illinois, USA |
| Height: | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) |
| Parents: | – |
| Husband: | – |
Early Life
Asma Khalid was born on 11th December 1983 in Elmhurst, Illinois, and raised in Crown Point, Indiana. She is 42 years old as of October 2026. Asma grew up in northwest Indiana in a Muslim American family. During her childhood, her family was among the relatively few Muslim households in the surrounding community.
She attended local schools and developed an early interest in journalism. Reading about pioneering journalist Nellie Bly influenced her decision to pursue reporting. She also grew up listening to NPR and watching PBS, which introduced her to public broadcasting.
Her childhood experiences later influenced her reporting about religion, identity, immigration, and American communities. She has discussed how growing up Muslim in the Midwest shaped her understanding of cultural differences.
Family
Asma Khalid comes from a Muslim American family with Pakistani roots. Her family history reflects an established Muslim presence in the United States across several generations. She has explained that her mother grew up in America. Her maternal grandfather immigrated to the United States and lived in Chicago during the early 1960s.
He developed friendships with people from different religious and cultural backgrounds. Her family background helped shape her understanding of American Muslim identity. Asma has also discussed how her upbringing influenced her perspective while reporting on religion and politics.
Education
Asma Khalid attended Indiana University Bloomington, where she studied journalism and political science. She graduated in 2006 and received recognition as a Wells Scholar. Her academic achievements also gave her opportunities to study internationally.
She attended the London School of Economics and later earned a Master of Philosophy degree in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Cambridge in 2007. Asma also studied at the American University of Beirut and Middlebury College’s Arabic language school.
These experiences strengthened her understanding of international affairs, language, and cultural issues. During graduate school, she completed an internship with BBC News, which helped develop her interest in radio journalism. That early experience eventually became relevant to her later return to the BBC as a presenter.
Career
Asma Khalid began her broadcasting career in Indiana before working at WAMU, Washington’s public radio station. She later joined WBUR in Boston, where she covered major local and national stories. One of her earliest major assignments involved the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings.
Although she had joined WBUR only weeks earlier, she reported from Massachusetts General Hospital as victims arrived. She also covered the trial of James “Whitey” Bulger and Boston’s unsuccessful Olympic bid. At WBUR, Asma later helped establish a business and technology reporting team called BostonomiX.
The team examined innovation, automation, technology companies, and the changing future of work. She joined NPR’s Washington political team in 2016, focusing on demographics and American politics. She reported on the 2016 presidential election and examined how changing voter groups influenced political campaigns.
During the 2020 presidential election, Asma covered the Democratic primary candidates and Joe Biden’s campaign. She also co-hosted the NPR Politics Podcast and became one of the network’s prominent political voices. Her journalism earned several professional honors.
She received the 2017 Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism, along with recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Gracie Awards. In 2021, Indiana University presented her with its Outstanding Young Alumni Award. Washington Women in Journalism named her a 2023 Star to Watch.
After nearly two decades of professional connections with NPR, Asma announced her departure in 2025. She explained that she wanted to develop a daily news program focused on examining one major story each day. In September 2025, she joined BBC World Service as co-host of The Global Story, alongside journalist Tristan Redman.
Broadcasting from Washington, D.C., she helps examine how American developments affect international politics, business, and foreign policy. By October 2026, the program had established itself as a regular weekday production. Asma continued presenting episodes covering international developments, American politics, and their global consequences.
Personal Life
Asma Khalid is married, although she keeps her husband’s identity and most relationship details private. She has occasionally discussed their shared experiences, including their visit to the Boston Marathon in 2013.
Her Muslim faith is an important part of her personal identity. She has spoken openly about wearing a headscarf and experiencing discrimination while covering political campaigns. During the 2016 election, she faced religious insults and online harassment because of her appearance and identity.
Asma has described journalism as an opportunity to understand people with different experiences. Her professional interests include elections, religion, demographics, international affairs, and the influence of culture on political decisions.
Social Media
Asma Khalid maintains an active X account under @asmamk, where she shares reporting updates and announcements about The Global Story. Her account had approximately 103,000 followers in October 2026. She also uses Instagram under the handle @asma_journo. Her posts focus mainly on journalism, broadcasting, professional activities, and international reporting.
Asma Khalid Net Worth
Asma Khalid’s net worth has not been publicly disclosed. No reliable financial publication has established her total assets, investments, or personal wealth. Therefore, assigning her a specific net worth would be speculative.
Her primary income comes from her journalism and broadcasting career. Her previous positions at NPR and WBUR provided professional earnings through reporting, presenting, and podcast production. She currently earns through her work with BBC World Service as co-host of The Global Story.
Asma also receives opportunities through speaking engagements, journalism events, and media appearances. However, her BBC salary, speaking fees, investments, and other financial details remain private.
