Many people are curious to know whether John King and Dana Bash are still friends. It’s a question loads of people ask. When you work with your ex at the same news network, things can get awkward fast. But these two CNN journalists have somehow made it work. They divorced over 13 years ago, and they’re still on good terms. Actually, it seems like they get on better now than lots of married couples do.
Their situation is pretty rare. Most divorced couples try to avoid each other. King and Bash see each other at work regularly and have managed to stay friendly while co-parenting their son.
How They Got Together and Split Up
John King and Dana Bash got married in May 2008. King converted from Catholic to Jewish for Bash, which shows he was proper serious about the relationship. They had their son Jonah Frank in June 2011.
By March 2012, it was over. They’d been living separately for a few months before making it official. A source told The Washington Post the split was “very difficult” for both of them and “one that neither party wanted.”
They never said why they divorced. That’s their business. What they did say was they’d continue co-parenting and working together. Thirteen years later, they’ve actually done that.
Working at the Same Place
CNN isn’t massive. You can’t hide from your ex there. In April 2023, Dana Bash took over King’s show Inside Politics after he’d done it for seven years. That could have been dead awkward.
King praised her on air, calling her “the best reporter in this building, flappable, unfailingly fair, and a wonderful mother to our son.” Bash said King had “built an extraordinary show”, and she was excited to take it on. Professional, respectful, no drama.
When King Talked About His MS
In October 2021, King went public with his multiple sclerosis diagnosis. He’d had it for 13 years but kept it private. He talked about it during COVID because he was immunocompromised and wanted people to understand why masks mattered.
Bash posted on Instagram supporting him. She wrote: “Very proud of John King, not just for telling his story publicly after all these years, but for why he did it. You never know who around you is immunocompromised. And thank you, John, for being a good dad and role model on this for our son.”
That’s not just being polite to a colleague. That’s genuinely caring about someone.
Their Son
Jonah was born in June 2011. He’s 14 now in November 2025. Both parents keep him out of the spotlight, which makes sense given their jobs.
King has two other kids, Noah and Hannah, from his first marriage to Jean Makie. Bash was married to Jeremy Bash from 1998 to 2007 before meeting King.
Where Is John King Now?
King is 62 and still CNN’s Chief National Correspondent in Washington. He left Inside Politics in 2023 to focus on reporting about voters in battleground states for the 2024 election.
His “Magic Wall” election coverage is his thing. Every election night, he’s there breaking down results state by state. He joined CNN in 1997 and shows no signs of stopping. There’s nothing about John King retiring anytime soon.
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Who Is Dana Bash Partner Now?
Dana Bash and the actor Spencer Garrett have been a couple since 2013. That’s over 12 years now. Garrett is an actor who has been in movies like Air Force One, 21, Public Enemies and many TV shows.
He is currently in The Residence, a Netflix series that was released in March 2025. Their introduction was arranged by a mutual friend who told Bash to “Google Spencer Garrett and come over tonight.” They’ve been together since.
Garrett splits time between LA and Washington. They attend events together regularly. In March 2025, they attended The Residence premiere in Los Angeles. They attended a White House Correspondents’ Dinner party together in April 2025.
On Garrett’s birthday in September 2024, Bash posted about him as someone “full of adventure and laughs, love.” Garrett referred to Bash as his wife during a June 2025 podcast, though it’s not known whether the couple actually tied the knot or if he was speaking casually.
The Ex-Wife Headline
When CNN announced Bash would take over Inside Politics in April 2023, the LA Times called her King’s “ex-wife” in the headline. Bash wasn’t having it.
She posted on Twitter: “Yes, John and I used to be married. We are now friends and share a wonderful son together. In this context, I am not an ‘ex-wife’; I am a veteran journalist with decades of experience who worked hard for this role. Do better, please.”
They changed the headline. She was right. She’s a journalist who happens to have been married to another journalist. Her career stands on its own.
Why It Works
Are John King and Dana Bash still friends? Yeah, they are. They’ve figured out something loads of divorced couples can’t manage. They’ve put their son first, stayed professional, and seem to genuinely want each other to succeed.
They’re both journalists who get the demands of the job. They understand working late, travelling for stories, and the pressure of live TV. They both know what it’s like.
They divorced in their 40s, not their 20s. They’d both been married before. They were mature enough to handle it properly. Working together probably helps too. They can’t just disappear from each other’s lives, so they had to make it work.
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What Colleagues Say
People at CNN say both are totally professional. There’s never been any on-air tension. They’ve covered elections, moderated debates, and done major news stories without any personal drama showing.
King speaks highly of Bash’s journalism regularly. Bash praises King’s reporting and his parenting. These seem like genuine compliments, not just polite public statements.
Friends have told media outlets the split was mutual and handled with respect. Neither has said anything negative about the other publicly, which is quite rare.
The Real Answer
Over 13 years after divorcing, King and Bash have maintained a respectful relationship. They support each other publicly, co-parent successfully, and work together without any drama. Bash is happy with Spencer Garrett.
King focuses on his kids and career. They’ve proved that divorce doesn’t have to mean you hate each other. They aren’t chums who go and hang out and socialise, but they are friendly co-workers who put their son first. That is, in fact, a fairly brilliant conclusion for a divorced couple, especially when that couple works in the same building and often sees each other. It’s proof that you can split up with someone and still treat them with respect and kindness.
