MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell has been absent from his nightly show “The Last Word” this week, prompting questions from viewers accustomed to his presence during the network’s primetime lineup.

Where is Lawrence O’Donnell?

O’Donnell, who anchors the 10 p.m. hour on MSNBC, announced his planned time off in advance during a March 12 handoff with Rachel Maddow. He joked that covering President Donald Trump had left him “exhausted,” and said he would be stepping away for a week.

“This is day 52. I thought it was day 92,” O’Donnell told Maddow, referencing her own temporary return to nightly hosting for the first 100 days of the new administration. “It turns out it’s day 52, Rachel. And I’m exhausted at day 52, and so I’m going to take next week off.”

O’Donnell emphasized that he would be back after the break and planned to “go with [Maddow] all the way to the 100 days.”

Lawrence O'Donnell, host of "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell" on MSNBC.

Who is Lawrence O’Donnell?

A frequent critic of Trump and a longtime political commentator, O’Donnell previously served as an aide to the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan and worked as a writer and producer on NBC’s political drama “The West Wing.” His commentary often blends political insight with sharp criticism of conservative politics and policy.