Benjamin Friedman - Defense Priorities

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 mediaHouthis, Iran, Middle East, Yemen

Trump’s sights set on Iran after U.S. airstrikes decimate more than 30 Houthi targets

Featuring Benjamin Friedman

March 17, 2025

“The people affected, I think, are more European and Chinese than American,” said Ben Friedman, policy director at Defense Priorities. […]

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

U.S. and Ukrainian interests remain distinct

By Benjamin Friedman

February 28, 2025

In the mediaGrand strategy

Why Musk’s DOGE is triggering alarm bells in the intel world

Featuring Benjamin Friedman

February 12, 2025

Benjamin Friedman Past Virtual Events

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

Benjamin Friedman Featured Symposia

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symposiumUkraine, Russia

Trump’s sights set on Iran after U.S. airstrikes decimate more than 30 Houthi targets

U.S. and Ukrainian interests remain distinct

Why Musk’s DOGE is triggering alarm bells in the intel world

Trump’s sights set on Iran after U.S. airstrikes decimate more than 30 Houthi targets

U.S. and Ukrainian interests remain distinct

Why Musk’s DOGE is triggering alarm bells in the intel world

Trump the ‘peacemaker’ faces many obstacles

Pentagon has long been plagued by accusations of waste and fraud

Joe Biden does not deserve credit for Gaza ceasefire deal

Benjamin Friedman Past Virtual Events

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

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

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

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

Past Virtual Event: Rocks, reefs, and resolve? Examining the purpose of U.S. policy in the South China Sea

Past Virtual Event: NATO or neutrality: assessing security guarantees for Ukraine

Lessons from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Lessons from Afghanistan

DoD budget cuts

Antique alliance: Rethinking NATO at 75

Realistic recommendations for Trump II

Expert updates and analysis to enhance your understanding of vital U.S. national security issues

More from Benjamin Friedman

Benjamin Friedman Past Virtual Events

Benjamin Friedman Featured Symposia

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