Daniel N. Hoffman

U.S. needs nuclear power to win the AI race

When I served at the CIA, analysts were often asked to prognosticate about a foreign adversary's plans.

June 11, 2026

High school graduates should learn to embrace the unexpected

High school graduation season is upon us. Teenagers are transitioning to a new chapter in their lives, which is exciting but also can result in some understandable trepidation.

May 28, 2026

The real purpose of the Trump-Xi meeting

Expectations were high when President Trump visited Beijing to meet with Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping.

May 14, 2026

Ukraine has shown U.S. what it will take to win

During a House hearing in April, U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll emphasized that the U.S. was learning a lot from the Ukrainian military, which has "done an absolutely amazing job of innovating."

April 30, 2026

Joy Jars creator Jessie Rees posthumously inspires perseverance, excellence

Jessie Rees should have celebrated her 27th birthday with her loving family and friends on April 8.

April 16, 2026

Congress must pay for additional Iran war funding and not charge it to the next generation

Last month, the Pentagon asked for an additional $200 billion in funding for the war in Iran. The White House is on the hook to review this sizable request -- more than 20% of the yearly Department of Defense budget -- and submit it to Congress.

April 2, 2026

‘Mowing the grass’ in Iran risks an endless cycle of war

I first heard the phrase "mowing the grass" years ago in Tel Aviv during a meeting with Israeli intelligence officers.

March 19, 2026

Europe must invest more in Ukraine

Last month, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson encouraged Europe to send noncombat troops to Ukraine.

March 5, 2026

Trump’s Iran challenge: Deal or destruction

CIA Director John Ratcliffe has no shortage of wickedly complex threats to U.S. national security.

February 19, 2026

China polysilicon dominance threatens U.S. military edge

The extraordinary U.S. military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of dictator Nicolas Maduro would not have been possible without U.S. technological superiority over China.

February 5, 2026

U.S. intelligence learned hard lessons from Ames’ treachery

Earlier this month, around the time the U.S. military was rendering Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro to justice, convicted spy Aldrich "Rick" Ames was taking his last breaths in a federal prison.

January 22, 2026

Putin holds out for domination

I'll never forget the most unexpected conversation I had with my uncle Fred back in December 2006 after I returned from Iraq.

January 8, 2026

Remembering U.S. intelligence officers taken by terrorism

On Dec. 30, 2009, I was in Moscow when jihadi website writer Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi blew himself up in a suicide attack on the Americans serving on a U.S. base in Khost, Afghanistan.

December 25, 2025

How Trump can exploit the China-Russia fissure

While engaging in shuttle diplomacy to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Trump administration should grapple with the significance of the moment relative to China's new cold war on us and our allies.

December 11, 2025

Thanksgiving, a time for gratitude

A few weeks ago, my older son was working tirelessly on what for him was a challenging high school English assignment, which required him to write about a meaningful moment in his life.

November 27, 2025

Terrorist networks find haven again in Afghanistan

During one of my headquarters assignments at the CIA, I was responsible for briefing the director every morning on the latest sensitive developments worldwide.

November 13, 2025

Halloween-worthy disguises have long been critical arrows in the CIA quiver

My late wife, Kim, always made Halloween an especially joyful holiday for our family, using the accomplished hair and makeup skills she honed while working as a CIA disguise technician.

October 30, 2025

Show Putin his Ukraine strategy is failing

On May 1, 2011, I had a front row seat in the CIA's Counterterrorism Center, tracking U.S. SEAL Team operators who were delivering justice to Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.

October 16, 2025

Needed: A peace plan that doesn’t reward Putin

A peace settlement negotiated without rewarding Russian ruler Vladimir Putin's imperial land grab would not only guarantee Ukraine's independence but also ensure we protect Europe.

October 2, 2025

Republicans, Democrats can unite in standing up to China’s new world order

Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Beijing earlier this month, Chinese leader Xi Jinping choreographed the dance of the world's most nefarious dictators.

September 18, 2025