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Ben Wolfgang

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

Frozen out of Ukraine peace talks, European leaders to hold emergency summit

Officials from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Denmark and other nations appear to be invited to the summit, which reportedly will be held in Paris on Monday. French President Emmanuel Macron is reportedly organizing the summit.

February 16, 2025

More U.S.-Russia talks expected as Trump pushes to end war in Ukraine

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to his Russian counterpart Saturday and key Trump administration officials will reportedly meet with a high-level Russian delegation in Saudi Arabia next week as the White House accelerates its push to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

February 16, 2025

Taiwan’s chip dominance is an asset and a target in the Trump era

President Trump's threat to use steep tariffs to break up what critics say is a virtual monopoly on the production of advanced microchips could become a reality in a matter of days, but Taiwan has dispatched a high-powered economic delegation to Washington this week in a bid to persuade the administration to change course.

February 11, 2025

Serbia can be Trump’s ‘bridge’ between America and adversaries, foreign minister says

Serbia will emerge from its white-hot political crisis and become a strategically vital "bridge" between the U.S. and its top global adversaries, China and Russia, Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Duric said Friday.

February 7, 2025

Vance says Trump administration is ‘not just restoring, but expanding’ religious freedom for America

The Trump administration will embrace and uphold the core American value of religious freedom and expand protections for people of all faiths while rolling back federal censorship efforts "used to prevent Americans from speaking their conscience and speaking their mind," Vice President J.D. Vance said Wednesday.

February 5, 2025

‘Grave consequences’: Japan warned on campaign against church

Japan would deal a massive blow to the universal principle of religious freedom, could deeply damage its relationship with the U.S. and would hand a major win to communist China if it follows through with an effort to punish the Unification Church, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich warned.

February 4, 2025

U.S. airstrikes kill ISIS terrorists in Somalia

The U.S. bombed Islamic State targets in Somalia on Saturday, President Trump said, marking the first major American operation against terrorist groups abroad since he took office on Jan. 20.

February 1, 2025

No more ‘identity months’: Pentagon scraps official events for Black, Women’s History months

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth late Friday issued new guidance ending official Defense Department events marking Black History Month, Women's History Month and other "cultural awareness months" across the U.S. military.

February 1, 2025

Army identifies two soldiers involved in Black Hawk, commercial jet crash

The Army on Friday identified two of the three soldiers believed to be dead after their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter collided with a commercial airplane in the skies near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport earlier this week.

January 31, 2025

A deadly ‘mistake’: Focus on Army Black Hawk chopper after shocking D.C. crash

How could a state-of-the-art U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, with an "experienced" crew of three soldiers, seemingly fly directly into a commercial jet in the skies just outside Washington?

January 30, 2025

Kremlin verifies famed Russian figure skating pair were aboard downed U.S. jet

The Kremlin Thursday confirmed that two well-known Russian-born figure skaters were aboard the D.C.-bound plane that collided with an Army helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River Wednesday evening.

January 30, 2025

Trump signs executive order to establish an ‘Iron Dome for America’

President Trump late Monday signed an executive order to establish an "Iron Dome for America," a 21st-century missile shield that would fulfill a campaign promise by establishing a sweeping homeland defense system to counter missile threats.

January 28, 2025

Pentagon pauses most social media activity for 10 days to ‘refocus’ messaging

The Pentagon said Friday night it will sharply curtail social media posts across the Defense Department for the next 10 days to "refocus" the military's messaging around President Trump's policy priorities.

January 25, 2025

Once dismissed, Trump’s ‘Iron Dome for America’ missile shield now within reach

It's an undoubtedly ambitious proposal. Some critics have even framed it as the "most ridiculous" plan ever floated by new President Donald Trump, one that's unrealistic for a country as sprawling as the United States.

January 23, 2025

‘Terror threat to America is alive and persistent’: New House GOP report warns of jihadist danger

America's national security defenses are in a "state of disrepair" and the rapid rise in extremist cases across the country underscores the vulnerabilities of the U.S. homeland, key House Republicans warned in a major new report.

January 22, 2025

Trump’s ‘revolution of common sense’ sweeping Europe as well, former Polish prime minister says

President Trump's "revolution of common sense" is resonating far beyond American shores as the political climate in Europe shifts away from left-wing policy priorities and toward the "rationality" of Mr. Trump's movement.

January 21, 2025

Chinese vice president, Argentine president, other foreign dignitaries attend Trump inauguration

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, Argentine President Javier Milei and other foreign dignitaries were in attendance at President Trump's inauguration on Monday, even as the new commander in chief vowed to use the full weight of his power to put U.S. interests first.

January 20, 2025

Trump vows to reinstate U.S. troops kicked out for refusing COVID-19 vaccine

President Trump said Monday he will reinstate the thousands of American troops kicked out of the military for refusing the Pentagon's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.