You may have seen the name Nick Schmit while reading about journalist Jonathan Capehart. People often search for him because he is Capehart’s husband. But who is he outside of that role?
Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Nick Schmit |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Being the husband of journalist Jonathan Capehart |
| Known job (at the time of the wedding) | Assistant Chief of Protocol, U.S. State Department |
| Spouse | Jonathan Capehart |
| Engagement | May 2016 |
| Wedding date | January 7, 2017 |
| Wedding officiant | Eric Holder, former U.S. Attorney General |
| Relationship length before marriage | About six years |
| Lives in | Washington, D.C. area |
| Public profile | Low. He keeps his private life private. |
Who Is Nick Schmit?
Nick Schmit is an American who built a career in government and public affairs. He became more widely known after he married Jonathan Capehart, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.
Capehart is a well-known voice in American news. According to his Wikipedia page, he works with MS NOW and PBS News, where he co-hosts a weekend show and shares political analysis. He also spent many years at The Washington Post and won a Pulitzer Prize as part of a New York Daily News team.
Schmit is not a TV personality. He does not give many interviews, and there is no big public biography about him from a major news outlet. That is why most facts about him come from stories about his husband and their wedding.
Career: Working at the State Department
The most solid fact about Nick Schmit’s career is this: he worked as the Assistant Chief of Protocol at the U.S. State Department. Several sources say so, including Wikipedia, a Q-Notes Carolinas profile of Capehart, and the 2018 LGBT History Month materials.
What does “protocol” mean?
In government, protocol means the official rules and customs for diplomatic events. The State Department’s Office of the Chief of Protocol helps the President, the Vice President, and the Secretary of State with these matters. Its work includes welcoming foreign leaders who visit the United States and helping plan official events and trips.
According to Wikipedia, the Chief of Protocol holds the rank of ambassador. An assistant chief works in this office and helps it run well. It is a job that needs good planning, careful manners, and strong people skills.
What does he do now?
Some websites say Schmit is a “public affairs strategist” or that he worked in other federal offices. These claims appear mostly on small sites that do not show their sources. We could not confirm his current job from a major news outlet or an official page. For that reason, we do not list any current job in this article.
Love Story with Jonathan Capehart
The couple’s story was covered by The New York Times in its wedding section in January 2017. Here are the main points, as reported by the Times and repeated by other sources.
How they met
In spring 2010, a friend of Capehart tried to set him up on a date. The friend was Jed Hastings, who is married to Joe Solmonese, the former president of the Human Rights Campaign. Hastings said a relative of his family, Schmit, had just moved to Washington.
At first, Capehart said no because he was already seeing someone else. Later, things changed, and the two met. Reports say Schmit was happy to find that the man he had seen on TV was kind and down to earth.
Dating years
The two dated for about six years before they married. Wikipedia describes Schmit as Capehart’s boyfriend of more than five years when they got engaged. During those years, Capehart also met Schmit’s family in Minnesota.
The proposal
According to news reports about the wedding, Capehart proposed in Positano, Italy, in 2016. Wikipedia lists the engagement date as May 2016.
The wedding
Nick Schmit and Jonathan Capehart married on January 7, 2017. Their friend Eric Holder, a former U.S. Attorney General, led the ceremony. Wikipedia confirms the date and the officiant, and the New York Times covered the event.
The couple lives in Washington, D.C., according to the LGBT History Month profile of Capehart.
Why Do People Search for Nick Schmit?
There are a few simple reasons:
- Curiosity about public figures. Many viewers like Jonathan Capehart and want to know more about his life.
- The wedding story. The way they met and the famous officiant make the story easy to remember.
- Representation. Capehart is an openly gay Black journalist, and the couple’s visible marriage matters to many readers. The LGBT History Month project honored Capehart for his positive impact on both the African-American and LGBT communities.
- Not much information online. Because Schmit keeps a low profile, people search again and again, hoping to find more.
Wrong Facts You May See Online
When you search for Nick Schmit, you will find many pages that copy each other. Some of them contain mistakes. Here are a few examples to watch out for:
- Wrong wedding years. One site says the couple married in January 2022. Wikipedia, the New York Times coverage, and other trusted sources say January 7, 2017.
- Wrong meeting date. One page says they met at a New Year’s Eve party in 2015. Reports based on the Times say the matchmaking started in spring 2010.
- Wrong spouse names. Some pages say Capehart is married to other people. This is false. His spouse is Nick Schmit.
- Exact age, school, and net worth. Several small sites give a birth date, a university, and money figures. We could not find these in a reliable source, so we left them out.
A good habit: when a site gives very exact details but names no source, be careful.
Privacy and Public Life
Nick Schmit has chosen to stay out of the spotlight. This is his right. He is not a politician or a TV host, and there is no reason to look for private details about him, such as his home or daily routine. This article only shares information that has been published in connection with his job and his wedding.
If he decides to share more about his work or life in the future, this article can be updated.
Final Thoughts
Nick Schmit is best known as the husband of journalist Jonathan Capehart. The facts we can confirm are simple:
- He worked as Assistant Chief of Protocol at the U.S. State Department.
- He and Capehart got engaged in May 2016.
- They married on January 7, 2017, in a ceremony led by Eric Holder.
- They live in Washington, D.C.
Beyond that, much of what you read online is not well sourced. We hope this guide gave you clear answers without the guesswork.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Who is Nick Schmit? He is an American who worked at the U.S. State Department and is the husband of journalist Jonathan Capehart.
2. Who is Nick Schmit married to? He is married to Jonathan Capehart, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.
3. When did Nick Schmit get married? He married Jonathan Capehart on January 7, 2017.
4. Who officiated the wedding? Eric Holder, the former U.S. Attorney General, led the ceremony.
5. What was Nick Schmit’s job at the State Department? He was the Assistant Chief of Protocol, according to Wikipedia and other sources.
6. How long did the couple date before marriage? They dated for about six years before they married.
7. When did they get engaged? They got engaged in May 2016.
8. How did Nick Schmit and Jonathan Capehart meet? A mutual friend, Jed Hastings, set them up in spring 2010, according to the New York Times wedding story.
9. Where does Nick Schmit live? Reports say the couple lives in Washington, D.C.
10. Is Nick Schmit active in the media? No. He keeps a low public profile and rarely gives interviews.
