Director, Democratizing Foreign Policy @quincyinst. Foreign influence, $ in politics. Co-author of The Trillion Dollar War Machine (order at link in bio).
Washington, D.C.
Joined May 2011
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Today is the day—The Trillion Dollar War Machine is out! Pick up your copy at the link in bio or below 👇
Ben Freeman retweeted
What isn’t, or shouldn't be, a matter of debate are the implications of putting undo pressure and influence to short cut established security processes for the benefit of any single partner nation.
The U.S.-Israel FUTURES Act, as written, would pressure existing security cooperation entities to expand and accelerate bilateral technological integration; an arrangement that lacks clear precedent even among the U.S.’s closest allies.
To protect sensitive U.S. technological development and to ensure congressional oversight is not further abdicated, the House (@HASCDemocrats @HASCRepublicans) should make clear it won’t vote for an NDAA that comes out of conference if it includes this provision, and the Senate (@SASCGOP @SASCDems) should remove or amend its corresponding Section 1217 from the FY27 NDAA and enter into a separate debate over the issue.
responsiblestatecraft.org/is…
@QuincyInst @RStatecraft
Ben Freeman retweeted
Who are the Houthis? What is Ansar Allah? Are the Saudis at war with Yemen? Is the US? And what does this all have to do with the US-Iran conflict?
Quincy's @AnnelleSheline breaks it down for @cspan c-span.org/program/washingto…
The Pentagon budget explained via a metric every American can understand: Oreos.
What if we invested in Americans the way we invest in war?
Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, and Sully break down something every American deserves to understand: where our tax dollars go and what else they could accomplish.
Using Oreo cookies, we show what a $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget looks like and what investing just a fraction of that money could mean for affordable housing, tuition-free public college, ending homelessness, childcare, healthcare, and better teacher salaries.
This isn’t about weakening our military. It’s about questioning our priorities.
We can have a strong national defense AND invest in the American people.
The question isn’t whether we have the money. It’s what we choose to do with it.
Ben Freeman retweeted
The Des Moines Register is reporting that Brad Parscale — whose contract with the Israeli government was just upped to $55.5 million — is sending mailers to Iowans’ homes touting the benefits of the U.S.-Israel relationship weeks ahead of the midterms.
Ben Freeman retweeted
David Milstein, a senior adviser to Ambassador Huckabee, pushed to have an Israeli defense contractor integrated into US missile defense and “got really upset and aggressive with people on the call over it,” according to a current US official.
My report. unherd.com/2026/10/the-diplo…
Ben Freeman retweeted
Tickets are nearly sold out Chicago so if you want to be there get your tickets now!
'NIGHT FLOWER: Inside AIPAC's Fight for Influence,' a new Zeteo documentary premieres LIVE in Chicago on October 20th at 7pm.
The screening of the movie will be followed by a panel discussion with @mehdirhasan, @DionNissenbaum, @repdeliaramirez, @kabughazaleh @imeupolicy
Ben Freeman retweeted
Wow. 55 of the 83 (about 66%) of the former US military officials that JINSA flew to Israel from 2019-2026 as part of its "Generals and Admirals Program" have held or currently hold positions in the defense industry
NEW @BergerPosts : Did you know that the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) trains retired US military leaders who go on to work in the US defense industry, to be advocates for Israeli interests, both in their public writing and in their work behind the scenes?
responsiblestatecraft.org/ji…
Ben Freeman retweeted
WE’RE HIRING!
@Rstatecraft is looking for a reporter to expose corruption and hypocrisy in the military industrial complex, on Capitol Hill, and across the federal government.
You’ll also write about the issues that matter to Americans outside the Beltway, including military families and veterans, and the economic and health impacts of war on local communities.
And you’ll cover federal elections as they intersect with foreign policy, and respond to breaking news.
Position is hybrid in DC. Apply by Nov 13: jobs.lever.co/quincyinst/d8d…
Ben Freeman retweeted
Should the U.S. Keep Funding Israel?
@QuincyInst's @BenFreemanDC debates @BlaiseMisztal and knocks it out of the park!
youtube.com/watch?v=MmJd3NCU…
Ben Freeman retweeted
Some people get upset that 3/4 of Lockheed Martin’s $75 BILLION in revenue comes from American tax dollars.
Others worry that a profiteering defense industry keeps us locked in endless wars.
But have you ever considered that the Black Hawk, the Chickasaw, and the Choctaw are all named after Indigenous peoples?
Defense companies care about the people they annihilate. And they care about you too.
Don’t miss: Lords of War. Out now from @QuincyInst and @TheIntercept.
Honored to participate in the new @WashTimes debate series “The Dialogue” w/ @BillyHallowell. @BlaiseMisztal & I disagreed on much regarding US-Israel relations but kept it cordial and, hopefully, will get viewers thinking deeper about this issue. Full debate at the link below 👇
Full debate and transcript here: washingtontimes.com/news/202…
Ben Freeman retweeted
Blaise Mistzal: “I want to make sure Israel’s military is restocked and we replenish it after this war”
Ben Freeman: “I have to address that Blaise, the reason we have a munitions shortage in the US military is precisely because of Israel and the war with Iran”
Ben Freeman retweeted
Thank you, Joe Rogan, for affirming what we can all see with our own eyes
And yet our elected officials of both parties continue to use our tax dollars to enable this
When will US policies reflect the will of the American people?
Joe Rogan on Gaza: “I think it’s horrific, it’s terrifying that people would dismiss it. How many tens of thousands of women and children have been destroyed by missiles from the sky? How many buildings are gone? Like 90% of Gaza is gone? There’s no way you can look at that and not say it’s a horrific incident. Whatever name it is, it’s a horror. You look at the video footage of Gaza, it’s fucking terrifying. Drones, missiles, and it’s all funded by the United States”
Ben Freeman retweeted
Trump has ramped up US interference in Brazil ahead of the election this Sunday. Here are just a few of the things his administration is doing to try and weaken Lula:
• Designated Brazilian crime groups as terrorist organizations, partially under the justification of combatting “narcoterrorism” in the region
• Tried to send State Department officials to Brazil to help, according to Brazilian officials, discredit the integrity of its electoral system
• Threatened new sanctions against Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes
• Imposed high tariffs on Brazilian imports
• Attacked Pix, Brazil’s popular payment transfer system that bypasses credit card company fees
• Threatened Brazil with “military might”
• The U.S. Consulate in São Paulo held a private roundtable with pro-Bolsonaro social media influencers
• The State Department has plans to award $1 million to groups in Brazil that oppose “judicial overreach and censorship” by Brazil’s Supreme Court
Ben Freeman retweeted
Michael Petruzzello, who just registered to represent the Saudi-backed government in Yemen, is a longtime lobbyist for Saudi Arabia, helping his firms earn $140,000,000 from the Kingdom since 9/11
