Ben Smith

Ben Smith

Follow @BenSmithDC

Ben Smith is a political writer and digital communications strategist based in the Washington, D.C. area. His work focuses on policy, elections, media narratives, and the intersection of culture and politics. When he’s not analyzing the news cycle, he works in digital strategy and marketing for advocacy organizations and campaigns.

Articles

Tim Walz's Feeding Our Future Scandal Worsens: Couple Gets 97 Months for $8.8 Million Fraud
Crime

Tim Walz's Feeding Our Future Scandal Worsens: Couple Gets 97 Months for $8.8 Million Fraud

Former CIA China Hand Cries 'Racist' Over Elaine Chao — Then His Own China Record Comes Up
China

Former CIA China Hand Cries 'Racist' Over Elaine Chao — Then His Own China Record Comes Up

'We Love You, Charlie': Trump Honors Kirk at RNC One Year After His Assassination
Charlie Kirk

'We Love You, Charlie': Trump Honors Kirk at RNC One Year After His Assassination

Brandon Gill Fires Up RNC Midterms Convention by Going Straight at Democrats' 'Woke 2.0'
Brandon Gill

Brandon Gill Fires Up RNC Midterms Convention by Going Straight at Democrats' 'Woke 2.0'

Hunter Biden Turns His Infamous Laptop Into a Meme Coin. It Loses 99 Percent of Value Minutes Later.
Hunter Biden

Hunter Biden Turns His Infamous Laptop Into a Meme Coin. It Loses 99 Percent of Value Minutes Later.

Trump Moves to End 90-to-180-Day Wait for Veterans’ Benefits
Department of Veterans Affairs

Trump Moves to End 90-to-180-Day Wait for Veterans’ Benefits

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Judge Who Attended Fani Willis Victory Event Got Private Reprimand After Misconduct Findings
Judges

Judge Who Attended Fani Willis Victory Event Got Private Reprimand After Misconduct Findings

HeeHaw and Order: Police Search Ends With Baby Donkey Dead in His Own Pasture
Law and Order

HeeHaw and Order: Police Search Ends With Baby Donkey Dead in His Own Pasture

Birth Tourism Doctor Has One Answer for Congress' CCP and MS-13 Questions: The Fifth
Brandon Gill

Birth Tourism Doctor Has One Answer for Congress' CCP and MS-13 Questions: The Fifth

Hamas Thought Its Crypto Was Safe. The FBI Just Took $560,000 and Its Fundraising Network.
Hamas

Hamas Thought Its Crypto Was Safe. The FBI Just Took $560,000 and Its Fundraising Network.

Big Four Wanted More Climate Reporting. Now State AGs Want the Receipts.
Climate Change

Big Four Wanted More Climate Reporting. Now State AGs Want the Receipts.

Now It's on the Record: House Votes to Condemn Socialism; 192 Democrats Vote No
Socialism

Now It's on the Record: House Votes to Condemn Socialism; 192 Democrats Vote No

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Katie Hobbs’ Campaign Amended Its Filing 10 Times. $1.4 Million Still Vanished.
Arizona

Katie Hobbs’ Campaign Amended Its Filing 10 Times. $1.4 Million Still Vanished.

Revised Gun Survey Delivers Some Very Bad News for Gun-Control Advocates
Firearms

Revised Gun Survey Delivers Some Very Bad News for Gun-Control Advocates

After 30 Years, Someone Is Finally Convicted in Tupac Shakur’s Murder
Law & Order

After 30 Years, Someone Is Finally Convicted in Tupac Shakur’s Murder

Trump Accounts Get Another Big Employer As American Airlines Signs On
Trump Administration

Trump Accounts Get Another Big Employer As American Airlines Signs On

Roy Cooper Lectured North Carolina on ESG. Then Came His Financial Disclosure.
Roy Cooper

Roy Cooper Lectured North Carolina on ESG. Then Came His Financial Disclosure.

China Spent Years Gaming US Trade Laws — Congress Just Hit Back
Trade

China Spent Years Gaming US Trade Laws — Congress Just Hit Back

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JD Vance Blasts Abdul El-Sayed: 'The Guy Is a Bit of a Joke'
JD Vance

JD Vance Blasts Abdul El-Sayed: 'The Guy Is a Bit of a Joke'

Trump’s Drug Pricing Push Now Covers 89 Percent of Branded Market
Big Pharma

Trump’s Drug Pricing Push Now Covers 89 Percent of Branded Market

China Targets US Data Centers As Unions Fight Back
Data Centers

China Targets US Data Centers As Unions Fight Back

Isle Be Back? Canada Loses a Giant Floating Island
Energy

Isle Be Back? Canada Loses a Giant Floating Island

James Clyburn All but Calls Clarence Thomas a Race Traitor
Justice Clarence Thomas

James Clyburn All but Calls Clarence Thomas a Race Traitor

Chinese-Owned AliExpress Caught Fingerprinting Americans' Devices
Cybersecurity

Chinese-Owned AliExpress Caught Fingerprinting Americans' Devices

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Google Maps Sent Drivers the Long Way on Purpose, Without Their Consent
Google

Google Maps Sent Drivers the Long Way on Purpose, Without Their Consent

Russian National's $900K Aeroflot Parts Scheme Ends With 12 Guilty Counts
Crime

Russian National's $900K Aeroflot Parts Scheme Ends With 12 Guilty Counts

Hochul’s Anti-ICE Crackdown Runs Into 15 Sheriffs and a County That Won’t Back Down
ICE

Hochul’s Anti-ICE Crackdown Runs Into 15 Sheriffs and a County That Won’t Back Down

After Trump's Reelection, DEI Became Résumé Baggage, and LinkedIn Users Started Scrubbing It
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

After Trump's Reelection, DEI Became Résumé Baggage, and LinkedIn Users Started Scrubbing It

Court Knocks Down Trump’s H-1B Fee, So He Builds It $3,265 Taller
DHS

Court Knocks Down Trump’s H-1B Fee, So He Builds It $3,265 Taller

Kristen Welker Runs Cover for Abdul El-Sayed - Tim Scott Wasn't Having It
Abdul El-Sayed

Kristen Welker Runs Cover for Abdul El-Sayed - Tim Scott Wasn't Having It

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Trump Wants a Quantum Revolution - US Scientists Just Took a 13-Mile Leap
Donald Trump

Trump Wants a Quantum Revolution - US Scientists Just Took a 13-Mile Leap

Google Pulls Every Last Pixel Product Out of China
Google

Google Pulls Every Last Pixel Product Out of China

Elon Musk May Be About to Erase Democrats’ Big Money Advantage in Texas
Elon Musk

Elon Musk May Be About to Erase Democrats’ Big Money Advantage in Texas

TPS Is Over: ICE Arrests About 300 Haitians in Ohio
ICE

TPS Is Over: ICE Arrests About 300 Haitians in Ohio

ABA Scrambles on DEI, As Trump Moves to End Group's Grip on Law Schools
Trump Administration

ABA Scrambles on DEI, As Trump Moves to End Group's Grip on Law Schools

From 1.8 Million to Zero: Kash Patel, FBI Deliver a Monumental Win After Biden-Era Mess on DNA
FBI

From 1.8 Million to Zero: Kash Patel, FBI Deliver a Monumental Win After Biden-Era Mess on DNA

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Conventional Wisdom? Atlanta's Dem Mayor Says DNC Is 'Abandoning Black Voters'
DNC

Conventional Wisdom? Atlanta's Dem Mayor Says DNC Is 'Abandoning Black Voters'

WV Wants to Collect Billions in Taxes From Data Centers Without Virginia’s Hangover
West Virginia

WV Wants to Collect Billions in Taxes From Data Centers Without Virginia’s Hangover

After Three Trial Deaths in China, Republicans Tell FDA: Stop Taking the Data on Faith
FDA

After Three Trial Deaths in China, Republicans Tell FDA: Stop Taking the Data on Faith

Cory Mills Blamed His Enemies for His Downfall. The Call Was Coming From Inside the House.
2026 Elections

Cory Mills Blamed His Enemies for His Downfall. The Call Was Coming From Inside the House.

He Helped Hand Out $80 Million at NSF - Now He Runs an AI Center in China
National Security

He Helped Hand Out $80 Million at NSF - Now He Runs an AI Center in China

Could This Be the Cancer Breakthrough We’ve Been Waiting For?
Vaccines

Could This Be the Cancer Breakthrough We’ve Been Waiting For?

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Abdul El-Sayed Compares His ‘Radical’ Agenda to Jesus
Abdul El-Sayed

Abdul El-Sayed Compares His ‘Radical’ Agenda to Jesus

Is the AI Stock Boom Headed for a Crash? ECB Economists Issue a Stark Warning.
Artificial Intelligence

Is the AI Stock Boom Headed for a Crash? ECB Economists Issue a Stark Warning.

Oh, Good: Google Is Making It Easier for Political Fundraising Emails to Reach Your Inbox
Google

Oh, Good: Google Is Making It Easier for Political Fundraising Emails to Reach Your Inbox

Loudoun Wants to Rein in the Data Centers Paying Nearly Half Its Local Taxes
Taxes

Loudoun Wants to Rein in the Data Centers Paying Nearly Half Its Local Taxes

Report: Biden COVID Advisor Put His FOIA Dodge in Text Sent to Anthony Fauci
Anthony Fauci

Report: Biden COVID Advisor Put His FOIA Dodge in Text Sent to Anthony Fauci

UAE Says Iran Fired Missiles at Shipping - There Goes Tehran’s 28 Billion Trade Lifeline
United Arab Emirates

UAE Says Iran Fired Missiles at Shipping - There Goes Tehran’s 28 Billion Trade Lifeline

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Alex Vindman’s $16 Million Loss to a Socialist Was Bad, but David Jolly’s Reaction Is Priceless
2026 Elections

Alex Vindman’s $16 Million Loss to a Socialist Was Bad, but David Jolly’s Reaction Is Priceless

NYC DSA Boss Lectures Landlords From $1.5 Million Home His Millionaire Parents Bought
New York

NYC DSA Boss Lectures Landlords From $1.5 Million Home His Millionaire Parents Bought