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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

An unlikely ally gives Putin’s Ukraine sovereignty grab a boost

The war in Ukraine may be drawing two of America's biggest adversaries closer together.

July 22, 2022

Army to shift $1 billion to recruiting, retention efforts; rely more on reserves as ranks shrink

The Army will shift about $1 billion to recruiting programs and will rely more heavily on reserve units as its ranks dwindle and the service struggles to attract new soldiers, Army officials said in a memo this week that described a high-stakes "war for talent" that confronts America's armed forces and comes at a crucial moment for U.S. national security.

July 21, 2022

Despite bravado, Russia seen ‘weakened’ by costs of Ukraine campaign

Russia has struggled to meet any of its top strategic goals in the nearly five-month invasion of Ukraine. But the U.S. and its NATO allies may be on the verge of meeting one of theirs.

July 18, 2022

Biden to push Saudi Arabia for more oil, but Russia could reap the rewards

President Biden on Friday is expected to privately urge Saudi leaders to ramp up oil production in a bid to curb massive global price spikes and relieve a mounting political headache back home, but there are signs that his push may have an unintended winner: Russia.

July 14, 2022

Ukraine’s optimism tests Biden’s ability to keep NATO unified as Russia cements gains

Ukrainian leaders insist their country will prevail over Moscow and eventually reclaim much of the eastern territory seized by Russian troops so far in the nearly five-month war. But military insiders and foreign policy analysts say such rosy predictions don't reflect the reality on the ground.

July 13, 2022

Diplomatic drama as Biden, Putin weigh G-20 leaders’ summit

It's shaping up to be a landmark economic summit, a potential showdown between warring countries, and a face-to-face confrontation of long-term international rivals all rolled into one.

July 8, 2022

NATO gets a big new border with Russia in major expansion

Sweden and Finland took another step toward joining NATO on Tuesday after the 30-country alliance formally signed off on their membership bids and set the stage to bring the long-neutral Nordic nations into the fold within a matter of months.

July 5, 2022

Putin declares ‘victory’ after Ukrainian troops make strategic retreat from Luhansk province

Moscow declared victory Monday after its forces seized the city of Lysychansk, signaling it will soon push its invasion deeper into Ukraine after capturing what had been Kyiv's last major stronghold in the Luhansk province.

July 4, 2022

North Korea says it will build up defenses in response to ‘rapid aggravation’ of U.S., Japan, South

North Korea on Sunday blamed the U.S., Japan and South Korea for the "rapid aggravation of the security environment of the Korean peninsula," and said it will quickly build up its defensive capabilities in response.

July 4, 2022

U.S.: Israeli bullet ‘likely’ killed Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh

Israeli gunfire "likely" killed Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh during an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) raid in the West Bank city of Jenin last month, U.S. officials said Monday following an extensive analysis of the bullet that struck the prominent reporter.

July 4, 2022

Ukrainian troops withdraw, Russia captures key city of Lysychansk: Reports

Russian forces over the weekend captured the key city of Lysychansk in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, marking a major strategic win for Moscow while bringing virtually all of the disputed Luhansk province under Kremlin control.

July 3, 2022

Ukraine’s drone blitz loses its edge as Russian invasion advances

The early weeks of the war in Ukraine were dominated by social media posts showing Russian tanks decimated by small, cheap drones that helped level the playing field and largely negated Moscow's massive advantage in personnel and equipment.

July 2, 2022

U.S. bolsters long-term troop presence in Europe as Russia-Ukraine war drags on

The future of America's long-term troop presence in Europe came into focus Wednesday as President Biden announced new plans to permanently place fresh U.S. personnel in Poland, air defense batteries in Italy and Germany, and a host of other steps as NATO reinforces its front line as relations deteriorate badly with Russia in the wake of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

June 29, 2022

NATO expansion on course as Turkey OKs bids for Sweden, Finland

Turkey on Tuesday dropped its opposition to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, seemingly clearing the way for the two nations to enter the trans-Atlantic alliance and delivering a major boost to Western solidarity amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

June 28, 2022

Turkey drops opposition to Sweden, Finland NATO bid

June 28, 2022

Military will continue some abortions in states that ban practice, Pentagon says

Limited abortions will continue at U.S. military facilities even in states that ban the practice, Pentagon leaders said in a memo Tuesday.

June 28, 2022

As U.S. troops reach 100K in Europe, questions mount over endgame, long-term effects

The number of American troops in Europe has risen sharply in the four months since Russia invaded Ukraine, jumping from about 65,000 in mid-February to 100,000 today.

June 26, 2022

Ukraine gets EU invite, in rebuke to Putin

The European Union on Thursday formally made Ukraine a candidate for membership in the 27-nation alliance, delivering what could be a major morale boost for Ukrainian troops while dealing a significant blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin's drive to pull Kyiv away from the West.

June 23, 2022

Bringing back Bibi? Israeli political shake-up has Netanyahu back in the mix

The Benjamin Netanyahu era seemed to meet its definitive end last summer.

June 21, 2022

Russia still holds major leverage on world’s economy despite losses

The global economic damage sparked by Russia's war in Ukraine may get much worse.

June 17, 2022

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Ben Wolfgang

Articles by Ben Wolfgang

An unlikely ally gives Putin’s Ukraine sovereignty grab a boost

Army to shift $1 billion to recruiting, retention efforts; rely more on reserves as ranks shrink

Despite bravado, Russia seen ‘weakened’ by costs of Ukraine campaign

Biden to push Saudi Arabia for more oil, but Russia could reap the rewards

Ukraine’s optimism tests Biden’s ability to keep NATO unified as Russia cements gains

Diplomatic drama as Biden, Putin weigh G-20 leaders’ summit

NATO gets a big new border with Russia in major expansion

Putin declares ‘victory’ after Ukrainian troops make strategic retreat from Luhansk province

North Korea says it will build up defenses in response to ‘rapid aggravation’ of U.S., Japan, South

U.S.: Israeli bullet ‘likely’ killed Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh

Ukrainian troops withdraw, Russia captures key city of Lysychansk: Reports

Ukraine’s drone blitz loses its edge as Russian invasion advances

U.S. bolsters long-term troop presence in Europe as Russia-Ukraine war drags on

NATO expansion on course as Turkey OKs bids for Sweden, Finland

Turkey drops opposition to Sweden, Finland NATO bid

Military will continue some abortions in states that ban practice, Pentagon says

As U.S. troops reach 100K in Europe, questions mount over endgame, long-term effects

Ukraine gets EU invite, in rebuke to Putin

Bringing back Bibi? Israeli political shake-up has Netanyahu back in the mix

Russia still holds major leverage on world’s economy despite losses