D. J Burns

Christina "Dasha" Burns, born March 1, 1992, is an American journalist who began her career writing opinion pieces for CNN and working as a media strategist. She later transitioned to broadcast journalism, holding roles at NBC News from 2016 to 2025. During her time at NBC, she progressed from associate producer to correspondent, covering significant elections. Notably, she conducted a prominent interview with Pennsylvania senatorial candidate John Fetterman following his stroke, an interview that later sparked debate regarding its tone.

Burns immigrated from Ukraine at age eight and grew up in San Diego. She pursued higher education at the University of California, Berkeley, earning a degree in media studies and anthropology, where she was involved in campus media and served as a fellow at the United Nations Information Center. Since January 2025, Burns has served as the White House Bureau Chief for Politico. In July 2025, she was also named the inaugural host of "Ceasefire," a new C-SPAN program designed to foster discussions on national problem-solving between representatives of opposing political parties.

Born Christina Burns on March 1, 1992, she immigrated to the United States from Ukraine at the age of eight. Her upbringing took place in San Diego, California. She completed her secondary education at La Costa Canyon High School in 2010. Subsequently, Burns attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Her academic focus was on media studies and anthropology. During her college years, she was actively involved in campus media as a producer for CalTV and participated in university theater productions. Additionally, in 2014, she held a position as a Matsui Center fellow at the United Nations Information Center in Washington.

Following her graduation, Burns worked as a media writer and strategist for a consulting firm until 2016, concurrently contributing opinion pieces to CNN. From May 2016, she joined NBC News, initially as an associate producer and then as a producer for the morning program "Weekend Today." By March 2019, she transitioned to television reporting for NBC News, providing on-the-ground coverage. In February 2022, Burns's role expanded as she was promoted to correspondent, focusing on the 2022 United States elections in Pennsylvania and Ohio, stemming from her work on the "County to County" project. In October 2022, she conducted a significant in-person interview with John Fetterman, a candidate for the Pennsylvania Senate, following a stroke he had experienced. This interview drew attention, with Fetterman's wife accusing Burns of ableism, though later media commentary suggested Burns was owed an apology.

As of January 2025, Dasha Burns holds the position of White House Bureau Chief for Politico. In July 2025, she took on the additional role of host for "Ceasefire," a new program on C-SPAN. This program is intended to feature discussions between individuals from opposing political parties, aiming to explore solutions to national challenges. C-SPAN CEO Sam Feist has described the show as a deviation from the network's typical format, emphasizing constructive problem-solving over highlighting partisan divisions. Feist indicated that the show seeks to reflect the common ground often found between Americans and members of Congress, which he believes is seldom seen on television or in legislative proceedings.

“At the end of the day, Americans and members of Congress agree more than they disagree. We just never see that on television, and you rarely see that on the floor of Congress. And I wanted to change that.”