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Ben Wolfgang

Ben Wolfgang

bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com

Ben Wolfgang is a National Security Correspondent for The Washington Times. His reporting is regularly featured in the daily Threat Status newsletter.
Previously, he covered energy and the environment, Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign in 2016, and also spent two years as a White House correspondent during the Obama administration.
Before coming to The Times in 2011, Ben worked as political reporter at The Republican-Herald in Pottsville, Pa.
He can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.

Articles by Ben Wolfgang

Attorney General-designate Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., is surrounded by security as he walks on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017,  as the Senate Judiciary Committee prepares to advance his nomination. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Jeff Sessions, Steven Mnuchin, Tom Price pass first test votes in Senate

President Trump's picks to lead the Justice, Treasury and Health and Human Services departments -- some of his most controversial nominations -- survived their first test votes on the Senate floor Thursday, putting each of them on track to win full confirmation over the next couple of weeks.

February 2, 2017
From left: Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas, Orrin G. Hatch of Utah and Chuck Grassley of Iowa confer on Wednesday after the Judiciary Committee, after angry partisan exchanges, voted to approve the nomination of Jeff Sessions as attorney general. (Associated Press)

Cabinet battle signals Democratic resistance to Trump

Senate business ground to a halt Wednesday as Democrats and Republicans turned to hardball tactics in the fight over President Trump's Cabinet nominees, signaling the wall of opposition the administration is likely to face for the foreseeable future.

February 1, 2017
Greenpeace demonstrators used a crane to hang a banner near the White House last week. It was one part of a multipronged strategy to combat the Trump administration's purported war against the science of climate change. (Associated Press)

Environmental groups launch social media war to fight Trump agenda

With their traditional political power diminished, environmental activists have launched an unprecedented guerrilla warfare campaign against President Trump -- and analysts say such efforts will only grow in intensity over the coming weeks and months.

January 29, 2017
President Obama left behind unfinished business on the environment, and Republicans emboldened by President Trump are gearing up to reverse many of the former administration's signature initiatives. (Associated Press)

Donald Trump to set environmental agenda, not Cabinet or lawmakers

Top Republicans are shifting the climate change debate away from the human role and toward a more pragmatic discussion over what government can do about it -- but it's increasingly clear that President Trump, not his Cabinet nor lawmakers, will be setting the environmental agenda.

January 25, 2017
Energy Secretary-designate, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017, at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Rick Perry disavows Trump team questionnaire on climate change

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday blasted a questionnaire from the Trump transition team to the Energy Department that sought information on which employees worked on federal climate change programs, saying he's not interested in singling out agency employees.

January 19, 2017
Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry smiles as he leaves Trump Tower in New York in this Dec. 12, 2016, file photo. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)

Rick Perry: ‘I regret’ calling for the elimination of the Energy Department

As he tries to convince the Senate to put him in charge of the Energy Department, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry told lawmakers Thursday that he was wrong to recommend eliminating that same department and stressed that it plays a vital role in energy development, scientific research, nuclear security and in other areas.

January 19, 2017