Ben Wolfgang is a national security correspondent at The Washington Times, a senior member of its Threat Status team, and the host and producer of the award-winning Threat Status Podcast. Ben covers national security, foreign policy, military affairs, the defense industry and the rapidly evolving landscape of military technology. A Pennsylvania native, he joined The Washington Times in 2011 after serving as a political reporter at The Republican-Herald in Pottsville, Pa. Over the course of his career, Ben has covered the White House, Congress, and four presidential campaigns. His reporting has earned recognition from some of journalism's most respected organizations, including the Virginia Press Association and the Society of Professional Journalists' Washington, D.C. Chapter, among other honors. Ben has interviewed heads of state, chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, senior military commanders, cabinet secretaries, senior government officials, and the CEOs of many of the nation's largest and most influential defense companies. Ben is a frequent guest on broadcast media, with appearances on C-SPAN, the Sirius XM POTUS channel, and other outlets. He can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
President Trump convened a classified national security briefing for congressional leaders Thursday under pressure to respond to Iran's unprovoked shoot-down of a U.S. Navy drone, an attack that the president downplayed as an unintentional mistake by a "foolish" rogue Iranian military official.
Iran shot down an American drone late Wednesday in an "unprovoked attack" over international waters, U.S. military officials said, in an incident that ratchets up tensions in the Middle East even higher.
A key Trump administration policy adviser on Iran said Wednesday that the White House remains committed to pursuing diplomacy with Tehran, despite claims by Democrats that the president is on a dangerous path toward an ill-advised and illegal war with the Islamic republic.
The Trump administration on Tuesday renewed its assertion that it "does not want war" with Iran, and top officials suggested the U.S. is in the midst of back-channel diplomacy as it seeks to avoid military conflict.
President Trump on Tuesday tapped Army Secretary Mark T. Esper to lead the Pentagon at least temporarily after acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan abruptly withdrew his name from consideration to be the next permanent chief, saying the confirmation process is proving too difficult for his family.
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has withdrawn his name from consideration to be the next permanent Pentagon chief, President Trump said Tuesday, with Army Secretary Mark Esper in line to step in as a temporary replacement.
The limpet mine has become Iran's weapon of choice as it ramps up a bombing campaign on oil tankers in the region, according to U.S. officials, wary that further attacks using the small magnetic bombs stuck to hulls of ships may be on the horizon.
The Pentagon will deploy another 1,000 troops to the Middle East to counter an emboldened Iran -- an announcement that came after Tehran threatened that it is now just 10 days away from surpassing international limits on its enriched uranium stockpile and could soon ramp up nuclear production to near weapons-grade levels.
Navy officials announced Friday that they've chosen Rear Adm. Shoshana S. Chatfield to lead the Newport, R.I., institution. She will be the first female president of the school in its 135-year history.
The Pentagon late Thursday released still photographs and grainy black-and-white video footage purportedly showing Iranian Revolutionary Guard personnel removing an unexploded mine from the side of an oil tanker targeted in the Gulf of Oman earlier in the day.
A long, unexplained delay has cast doubt over the nomination of Patrick M. Shanahan to head the Defense Department and has fueled rumors that President Trump may be having second thoughts about his pick.
Two oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz were reportedly attacked on Thursday, an assault that left one ablaze and adrift as sailors were evacuated from both vessels and the U.S. Navy rushed to assist amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Recent developments highlight how the armed forces and their industry partners have stockpiled power and influence to an unprecedented level, experts say.
The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin on Monday announced the largest single defense deal in U.S. history, reaching a $34 billion handshake agreement for 478 new F-35 fighter jets at the significantly lower cost per aircraft.
The Pentagon's goal of a powered exoskeleton resembling Tony Stark's famed body armor remains a pipe dream, but officials say years of research into the concept have returned invaluable technology that will allow America's fighting men and women to push the bounds of physical capabilities in combat.
A U.S. vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Niger on Saturday, Pentagon officials said, in an incident that once again shines a spotlight on America's military presence in the African country.
A U.S. missile cruiser and Russian destroyer nearly collided Friday in the Philippine Sea, with the two vessels coming within at least 100 feet of one another as the two nations traded blame for the incident.
President Trump's April phone call with Libyan militia leader Gen. Khalifa Haftar was a "confusing" move that raised fundamental questions about which side Washington supports in the country's ongoing civil war, a top Libyan official told The Washington Times on Thursday.