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Grand strategy, Alliances, Burden sharing, Defense budgeting, Deterrence, and Foreign and defense policy

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.

ExplainerBurden sharing, Basing and force posture, Europe and Eurasia

Stop bargaining with Europe, start leaving

By Benjamin Friedman and Moritz Graefrath

May 27, 2026

Key Points The Trump administration’s harsh rhetoric toward NATO allies obscures that the U.S. defense posture in Europe remains mostly […]

In the mediaUS‑Israel‑Iran, Iran, Middle East

On BBC, Ben Friedman argues for the United States to cut a deal with Iran to open the strait

Featuring Benjamin Friedman

May 27, 2026

Press ReleaseUS‑Israel‑Iran, Iran, Israel, Israel‑Iran, Middle East

Close the deal, open the strait

By Benjamin Friedman

May 26, 2026

More from Benjamin Friedman

ExplainerBurden sharing, Basing and force posture, Europe and Eurasia

Stop bargaining with Europe, start leaving

By Benjamin Friedman and Moritz Graefrath

May 27, 2026

In the mediaUS‑Israel‑Iran, Iran, Middle East

On BBC, Ben Friedman argues for the United States to cut a deal with Iran to open the strait

Featuring Benjamin Friedman

May 27, 2026

Press ReleaseUS‑Israel‑Iran, Iran, Israel, Israel‑Iran, Middle East

Close the deal, open the strait

By Benjamin Friedman

May 26, 2026

In the mediaMilitary analysis

Trump’s $1.45 trillion defense budget is the largest—and most contested—in American history

Featuring Benjamin Friedman

May 19, 2026

Op-edBurden sharing, Grand strategy

Analyzing Trump’s foreign policy and its international implications

By Benjamin Friedman

May 13, 2026

In the mediaUS‑Israel‑Iran, Iran, Middle East

Trump calls Iran’s latest proposal ‘garbage’

Featuring Benjamin Friedman

May 12, 2026

Benjamin Friedman Past Events

virtualEurope and Eurasia

What’s Next for U.S. Foreign Policy in 2026? Europe Edition

January 14, 2026
virtualCyber

Hacking, espionage, and deterrence: Understanding cyber conflict

October 20, 2025
virtualMiddle East, Basing and force posture, Diplomacy, Houthis, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Israel‑Hamas, Military analysis, Syria

Trump in the Middle East: Impacts, implications, and alternatives

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

China-Russia: Cooperation or a no-limits alliance?

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

National Defense Strategy: Underfunded or overstretched?

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

New York for Paris? NATO and extended deterrence in a new nuclear age

July 2, 2024

Benjamin Friedman Featured Symposia

symposiumWestern Hemisphere

Americas first: A shift to hemispheric defense

February 10, 2026

symposiumGrand strategy

Realistic recommendations for Trump II

January 13, 2025

symposiumNATO, Alliances

Antique alliance: Rethinking NATO at 75

July 2, 2024

ukraine flag
symposiumUkraine, NATO, Russia, Ukraine‑Russia

Lessons from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

February 13, 2023

symposiumAfghanistan, Counterterrorism

Lessons from Afghanistan

September 10, 2021