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Grand strategy, Afghanistan, Asia, Burden sharing, China, Counterterrorism, Defense budgeting, Europe and Eurasia, Foreign and defense policy, International relations, International security, Iran, Israel-Hamas, Middle East, Military analysis, NATO, North Korea, Ukraine, and Ukraine-Russia

Benjamin Friedman

Policy Director

Benjamin Friedman is policy director at Defense Priorities.

Friedman previously worked as a defense analyst at the Cato Institute and a researcher at the Center for Defense Information. Friedman is a graduate of Dartmouth College and studied for a PhD in political science at MIT. He has taught graduate courses at the University of Maryland and George Washington. He has edited three books on defense policy and strategy and has published academic essays in International Security, Political Science Quarterly, Orbis, Foreign Affairs, and World Affairs. He has written op-eds for many outlets, including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Politico, The Atlantic, TIME, The Boston Globe, and the Boston Review.

In the mediaGrand strategy, Middle East

Has Trump’s ‘art of the deal’ paid off in the Middle East?

Featuring Benjamin Friedman

May 17, 2025

US President Donald Trump has announced a swathe of new business deals with Middle Eastern nations including Saudi Arabia, Qatar […]

In the mediaHouthis, Air power, Drones, Military analysis, Yemen

U.S. progress against resilient Houthi militants remains murky

Featuring Benjamin Friedman

April 5, 2025

op-edYemen, Houthis, Middle East

The U.S. War Against the Houthis Is the Real ‘Signalgate’ Scandal

By Benjamin Friedman

April 2, 2025

More from Benjamin Friedman

In the mediaGrand strategy, Middle East

Has Trump’s ‘art of the deal’ paid off in the Middle East?

Featuring Benjamin Friedman

May 17, 2025

In the mediaHouthis, Air power, Drones, Military analysis, Yemen

U.S. progress against resilient Houthi militants remains murky

Featuring Benjamin Friedman

April 5, 2025

op-edYemen, Houthis, Middle East

The U.S. War Against the Houthis Is the Real ‘Signalgate’ Scandal

By Benjamin Friedman

April 2, 2025

In the mediaHouthis, Middle East, Yemen

How Trump’s team flipped on bombing the Houthis

Featuring Benjamin Friedman

April 2, 2025

Press ReleaseYemen, Air power, Diplomacy, Houthis, Military analysis

Strikes in Yemen are unwarranted

By Benjamin Friedman

March 31, 2025

Press ReleaseUkraine‑Russia, Diplomacy, Europe and Eurasia, Russia, Ukraine

Ukraine peace serves U.S. interests

By Benjamin Friedman

March 25, 2025

Benjamin Friedman Past Virtual Events

virtualMiddle East, Basing and force posture, Diplomacy, Houthis, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Israel‑Hamas, Military analysis, Syria

Past Virtual Event: Trump in the Middle East: Impacts, implications, and alternatives

May 16, 2025
virtualChina, Alliances, Balance of power, Diplomacy, Grand strategy, Russia

Past Virtual Event: China-Russia: Cooperation or a no-limits alliance?

April 3, 2025
virtualGrand strategy, Basing and force posture, Burden sharing, Global posture, Military analysis

Past Virtual Event: National Defense Strategy: Underfunded or overstretched?

October 31, 2024
virtualNATO, Alliances, Deterrence, Europe and Eurasia, Nuclear weapons

Past Virtual Event: New York for Paris? NATO and extended deterrence in a new nuclear age

July 2, 2024
virtualUkraine‑Russia, Russia, Ukraine

Past Virtual Event: Can Ukraine still win? Evaluating U.S. interests and policy options

February 20, 2024
virtualGrand strategy, Iran, Middle East, Syria

Past Virtual Event: Keeping the U.S. out of war in the Middle East

January 16, 2024

Benjamin Friedman Featured Symposia

ukraine flag
symposiumUkraine, Russia

Lessons from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

February 13, 2023

symposiumAfghanistan

Lessons from Afghanistan

September 10, 2021

symposiumNATO, Alliances

Antique alliance: Rethinking NATO at 75

July 2, 2024

symposiumGrand strategy

Realistic recommendations for Trump II

January 13, 2025