David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 02/10/2026These two authors are well worth listening to. Slovic’s work on public trust — and nuclear issues — is incomparable. Lin is exceedingly well versed on the digital side. 021
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 02/09/2026My review of “The Brink of War” about the remarkable summit at Reykjavik in 1986. www.armscontrol.org/act/2026-09/...armscontrol.orgThe Brink of War’: What It Takes to Prevent Nuclear War | Arms Control Association 061
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Eager to read this new saga from @jobywarrick.bsky.social — one of the best national security writers around! 161
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 11/07/2026Five years ago today, Cubans took to the streets in protest. They showed that the future of Cuba must be decided by its people—the central idea that Oswaldo Payá held in creating the Varela Project. You can find the whole story in “Give Me Liberty.” davidehoffman.comdavidehoffman.comGive Me Liberty – The True Story of Oswaldo Payá and His Daring Quest for a Free Cuba 021
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 03/07/2026An amazing archival discovery in London. Happy 4th! news.enews.nationalarchives.gov.uk/B4FCD4734139...news.enews.nationalarchives.gov.ukSpecial Announcement - major new discovery at The National Archives 031
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 30/05/2026@FT says of Cuba‘s regime, “Seven decades of authoritarian, one-party rule have choked off any potential opposition.” www.ft.com/content/751b... via @ft. But there WAS a strong opposition, the Varela Project and Oswaldo Payá. They killed him but the dream lives on. 110
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 22/05/2026Can’t wait to read this — coming in August! From the author of BLACK FLAGS. 040
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 26/04/2026The NYT gets this exactly right — measles is the canary in the coal mine. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/25/o...nytimes.comOpinion | Measles Is Back. What Comes Next Will Be Worse. 092
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 18/04/2026One of the best— Kevin Klose, Who Made NPR a Reporting Powerhouse, Dies at 85 www.nytimes.com/2026/04/17/b...nytimes.comKevin Klose, Who Made NPR a Reporting Powerhouse, Dies at 85 030
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 20/03/2026From Andy Weber: I Spent Two Decades Securing Nuclear Materials. Getting at Iran’s Would Not Be Easy. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/20/o...nytimes.comOpinion | I Spent Two Decades Securing Nuclear Materials. Getting at Iran’s Would Not Be Easy. 023
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 01/03/2026To catch up with the Iran revolution there is a deeply-researched and compelling new book coming in June co-authored by Yeganeh Torbati @yjtorbati and you can pre-order now! www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/737493...penguinrandomhouse.comStolen Revolution by Yeganeh Torbati, Bozorgmehr Sharafedin: 9780385550314 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: BooksA moving, harrowing, and compulsively readable portrait of the lives of Iranians across five decades, tracing the promise of the 1979 revolution, its betrayal by forces of autocracy, and a people’s... 031
Reposted by David E. HoffmanRyan Mac 🙃 @rmac.bsky.social · 08/02/2026This just shows a fundamental misunderstanding of how to do news. Data helps, but data doesn’t tell a reporter to spend a years-long investigation into child labor or an editor to place staff in a country on the brink of war. What exactly does Bezos think WaPo’s “journalistic mission” is? 611337231
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 01/02/2026For a powerful look inside Russia today, see “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” — a remarkable, poignant and revealing documentary. One teacher‘s honesty and integrity shines as a dark cloud settles on his school. 053
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 01/01/2026In Foreign Affiars, a must-read piece from Michael Bustamante @mjbusta.bsky.social on Cuba: “Cuba’s cascading problems are now so severe that even a more dynamic private sector would be insufficient to fix them” www.foreignaffairs.com/cuba/cuba-br...foreignaffairs.comCuba on the BrinkWhere will the island’s crisis end? 122
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 20/12/2025I am very sad to report the passing of my mentor and colleague at The Washington Post, Lou Cannon. He was a generous, patient tutor and a journalist of the highest order. RIP, my friend. www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2...washingtonpost.comLou Cannon, Post reporter and preeminent Reagan biographer, dies at 92His books on Reagan “have never been transcended,” said presidential historian Douglas Brinkley. 1192
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 15/12/2025We’ve lost one of the leading nuclear historians and archivists, Bill Burr of the @nsarchive.bsky.social He was a constant source of advice, documents and inspiration. nsarchive.gwu.edu/news/2025-12...nsarchive.gwu.eduIn Memoriam: Dr. William Burr, 1949-2025Washington, D.C., December 15, 2025 - The National Security Archive mourns the passing of our beloved colleague William Burr, the documentary leader of the nuclear history field, on December 11, 2025.... 0133
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 11/12/2025This is one of the most urgent cases of wrongful imprisonment around the globe—and there are many. Ales is the founder of the Belarus human rights group Viasna and is unwell. He must be freed. t.me/MAYDAYMog/55...t.meMAYDAY.TEAM 020
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 11/12/2025Kate Woodsome explores what made Katherine Graham a reluctant warrior for democracy under stress. open.substack.com/pub/katewood...open.substack.comThe reluctant warrior: What Katharine Graham teaches us about democracy under stressI joined Bob Woodward and Donald Graham to reflect on leadership, truth, and mental health. 021
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 25/11/2025Kate Woodsome is smart and ambitious about saving democracy — and our sanity. open.substack.com/pub/katewood...open.substack.comWhy your brain can't tell the difference between a charging bear and your dad's political takesThe hidden nervous system crisis straining families (and democracy) — plus 4 ways to stay grounded during the holidays. 051
Reposted by David E. HoffmanAndy Carvin @acarv.in · 25/09/2025A lot of very talented people at @hrw.org just got laid off. 03715
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 26/08/2025NetFreedom Pioneers reached millions of Iranians with satellite filecasting technology. Now they’ve stopped, because of Trump holdups in funding. Worrisome pullback. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...washingtonpost.comU.S. funding break leaves Iran internet freedom projects in perilThe State Department has not signed off on new funding for programs that help Iranian citizens evade internet censorship, potentially crippling a policy with bipartisan support. 020
Reposted by David E. HoffmanHelen Branswell 🇨🇦 @helenbranswell.bsky.social · 05/08/2025Pandemic preparedness in the US has been leveled a crippling blow with the cancellation of multiple #BARDA contracts to help develop mRNA vaccines. No other vaccine platform produces vaccine so quickly; without mRNA, Americans will have a long wait for pandemic vax. www.statnews.com/2025/08/05/m...statnews.comHealth secretary RFK Jr. shuts door on U.S. investment in mRNA vaccine researchVaccine experts and people steeped in pandemic preparedness expressed horror at the news that RFK Jr. has shut the door in U.S. investment in mRNA vaccine research. 23456286
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 06/08/2025Nora Gamez Tórres has another major scoop on Cuba—while its people suffer, the military has a massive, secret cash hoard. www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-...miamiherald.comWhere is Cuba’s money? Secret records show the military has massive cash hoardIn the midst of the misery plaguing the island, the Cuban military has dollar reserves larger than the international reserves of nations like Costa Rica, Uruguay and Panama. 131
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 01/08/2025If you are wondering what is this fabled “Dead Hand” that Dmitry Medvedev is threatening with, I’ve got you covered. www.davidehoffman.com/the-dead-han... 191
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 29/07/2025Another journalist life and legacy worth our time today wapo.st/4lP9onVwapo.stMorton Mintz, Post reporter with a muckraker spirit, dies at 103A pioneer in consumer affairs journalism, he helped expose the deformity-causing hazards posed by thalidomide, a once-popular drug for morning sickness. 031
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 24/07/2025No. NED has a bipartisan base in Congress and continues to fight the good fight. 210
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 23/07/2025In an inspiring and moving tribute, the National Endowment for Democracy today awarded the Democracy Service Medal posthumously to the Cuban democracy fighter Oswaldo Payá on the 13th anniversary of his murder by the Castro regime. From L: Reinaldo, Rosa María, Ofelia and Oswaldito accept the award 2406
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 17/07/2025The author of Gorky Park had only spent two weeks in Russia before writing the huge bestseller. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/16/b...nytimes.comMartin Cruz Smith, Best-Selling Author of ‘Gorky Park,’ Dies at 82 0103
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 17/07/2025Sometimes the most important news is not on the front page: a culprit has been identified in the great (terrible) honeybee die-off. And this is very worrisome: mites that are resistant. www.theguardian.com/environment/...theguardian.com‘Could become a death spiral’: scientists discover what’s driving record die-offs of US honeybeesExperts scrambling to understand losses in hives across the country are finally identifying the culprits. And the damage to farmed bees is a sign of trouble for wild bees too 0127
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 02/07/2025The Washington Post opinions has published a five-part series, The Next Nuclear Age, which concludes today with a look at how suddenly a nuclear war could begin. wapo.st/4npIWCpwapo.stOpinion | How a nuclear attack on the U.S. might unfold, step by stepA scenario of America’s response to an incoming nuclear attack. 062
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 26/06/2025Join us TODAY to talk about Russia’s century of deep cover spies. carnegieendowment.org/events/2025/...carnegieendowment.orgThe Illegals: A Conversation With Shaun Walker on the Untold Story of Russia’s Deep-Cover SpiesFor more than a century, Soviet and Russian spymasters have poured enormous resources into the training and deployment of deep-cover spies known as “illegals.” These agents live behind enemy lines for... 021
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 21/06/2025www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...washingtonpost.comOpinion | A heartwarming reunification and a terrifying reality for BelarusBeyond celebrating that 14 people gained their freedom lies the ugly reality that there are still 1,186 political prisoners in Belarus. 010
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 18/06/2025www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/int...washingtonpost.comOpinion | Only one American can start a nuclear war: The presidentThe American president has the sole authority to order a nuclear strike, even if every adviser in the room is against it. 222
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 11/06/2025Accidents and mishaps are a fact of life with nuclear weapons. The next nuclear age is coming. To understand how it might all go wrong, look at how it almost did. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/int...washingtonpost.comOpinion | How nuclear war could startNuclear accidents are a fact of life for as long as these weapons exist. 031
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 04/06/2025We are entering a new age of nuclear weapons--and the outlook is deeply worrisome. A new opinion series in The Washington Post explains why. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/int...washingtonpost.comOpinion | Why we should worry about nuclear weapons againDeadlier weapons, more nations, autocrats in charge, disinformation, and collapsing arms control — the risk of nuclear catastrophe is back. 020
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 04/06/2025This melancholy but powerful new book from Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan is out today and tells the heart-wrenching story of hopes born and dashed — their own — in Russia. Two great journalists open their souls. 063
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 24/05/2025A good essay — rights can’t be taken away like this. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...washingtonpost.comOpinion | No, Trump can’t force his agenda on U.S. entities. They have rights.The government cannot withhold benefits because it doesn’t like how people exercise their rights. 040
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 13/05/2025Thinking today of my Wash Post colleague Jamal Khashoggi — Saudi exponent of democracy, murdered for his views by thugs sent from the Kingdom. His body never found. 140
Reposted by David E. HoffmanVince Houghton @intelhistorian.bsky.social · 08/05/2025Pretty cool opportunity at the International Spy Museum. These don’t come around very often…spymuseum.orgHistorian & CuratorJob Opportunity: The International Spy Museum is searching for a Historian & Curator to join our Exhibitions and Collections team. Our new museum is located at L’Enfant Plaza. 24221
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 22/04/2025Ruth Marcus is a must-read, now in The New Yorker. 131
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 16/04/2025Martin Wolf nails it in today’s @FT — “The cult of the strongman is a perennial folly.” 021
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 14/04/2025Saddened at the passing of Mario Vargas Llosa, who was unwavering in his support for Oswaldo Payá and his Varela Project — a quest for democracy and freedom in a dictatorship. Condolences to his family. He wrote this for “Give Me Liberty”: 030
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 12/04/2025One million Americans died, just a few years ago. Have we learned nothing at all from the calamity? 1220868
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 08/04/2025This is a tragedy of the first order—a self-inflicted wound on an institution that represents the best of our democracy and civil society. Do you think there is anything like it in Moscow or Beijing? 14928
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 20/03/2025This is terrific news — Cold War historian Sergei Radchenko has won the prestigious Lionel Gerber prize for his examination of Soviet thinking in the Cold War. 0194
David E. Hoffman @davidehoffman.bsky.social · 19/03/2025For those who may have missed the keen mind of Ruth Marcus lately, have no fear — she is writing. For the New Yorker. 021
Reposted by David E. HoffmanJelani Cobb @jelaniya.bsky.social · 16/03/2025journalism.columbia.edu/news/cjs-fac...journalism.columbia.eduA Statement from Columbia Journalism School Faculty Defending Press Freedom | Columbia Journalism School 9314110