Author Archive

Ben Watson

Senior Multimedia Editor, Defense One

Ben Watson is an Army veteran who writes The D Brief daily newsletter and hosts the bimonthly Defense One Radio podcast. Since arriving in Washington in 2012, Ben has written and produced award-winning features on politics, international security, technology, and military history for NPR, The Atlantic and Defense One.
Threats

The D Brief: State of Defense, service by service; US strikes Yemen port; DEI is out at DOD; Shakeup week for OSD; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Lauren C. Williams
Threats

The D Brief: Space Force’s new war plan; Musk, Palantir, Anduril eye ‘Golden Dome’ contracts; DOD’s race for small reactors; And a bit more.

  • Lauren C. Williams and Ben Watson
Threats

The D Brief: Crash near border kills 2 US troops; Pentagon axes two advisors for alleged leaks; Leadership shakeups continue; ACLU sues DoDEA over banned books; And a bit more.

  • Audrey Decker and Ben Watson
Threats

The D Brief: Trump militarizes border, testing courts; Adm. Caudle for CNO?; Tariff war could cost DOD critical minerals; And a bit more.

  • Audrey Decker and Ben Watson
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The D Brief: Russian missiles kill 34 in Ukraine; Trump lashes out at CBS; Breakthrough in robotics?; Naval autonomy today; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Patrick Tucker
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The D Brief: New CJCS; Contracts, cancelled; Europe pledges Ukraine aid; Report: China avows Volt Typhoon; And a bit more.

  • Bradley Peniston, Lauren C. Williams and Ben Watson
Threats

The D Brief: New defense EOs; Somalia concerns; Ukrainian’s advice for US; Spies target fired feds; And a bit more.

  • Bradley Peniston and Ben Watson
Threats

The D Brief: Hegseth softens Panama talk; Trump’s budget flip-flop; Arms in space; EUCOM’s plea; And a bit more.

  • Bradley Peniston and Ben Watson
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The D Brief: $1T defense budget?; Another female admiral fired; Industrial-base reports; Sea-Air-Space news; And a bit more.

  • Bradley Peniston, Ben Watson and Lauren C. Williams
Threats

The D Brief: Murky hiring freeze; Trump-tariff turmoil; Cuts for CISA; GOPer slams NSA firing; And a bit more.

  • Bradley Peniston and Ben Watson
Threats

The D Brief: NSA chief fired; SecDef under investigation; ‘Limited success’ for Yemen strikes; China’s anti-sat arsenal; And a bit more.

  • Bradley Peniston and Ben Watson
Featured eBooks
Future of Naval Warfare
AI & Autonomy
Connect Everything: JADC2 & networks
Threats

The D Brief: More WH Signal chats; Trump’s tariffs skip Russia; NSC departures?; Simulating budget choices; And a bit more.

  • Bradley Peniston and Ben Watson
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The D Brief: WH mulls Greenland options; China’s invasion barges; New OPSEC failure; 4th missing soldier found; And a bit more...

  • Bradley Peniston, Ben Watson and Audrey Decker
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The D Brief: US soldiers’ bodies found; Raising Nordic defenses; Russia’s new draft; A-10s to Middle East; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: DOD-shakeup proposals due in days; Border-ops price tag; New Army tech; Rocketmakers’ green light; And a bit more.

  • Bradley Peniston and Ben Watson
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The D Brief: Accountability watch; Golden Dome options; WH pursues Ukraine’s minerals; EU suggests stockpiling food; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: More Yemen-chat details released; Troops patrolling border; Ukraine ceasefire broadened; Army’s gear overhaul; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: SecDef’s OPSEC fail; Natsec team’s debate, revealed; SecNav confirmed; Counterterror efforts cut; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: Green light for ‘F-47’; 2nd destroyer sent to border; Mapping China’s Taiwan threat; US envoy parrots Kremlin; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson, Bradley Peniston and Audrey Decker
Threats

The D Brief: Musk visits Pentagon; NGAD decision?; Navy’s frigate mess; Germany ups spending; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston