Henry Olsen

Washington, D.C.

Columnist focusing on politics, populism, and American conservative thought

Education: Claremont McKenna College, BA in political science; University of Chicago Law School, JD

Henry Olsen is a Washington Post columnist, a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and the Thomas W. Smith distinguished scholar in residence at Arizona State University for the winter/spring 2023 semester. Olsen began his career as a political consultant at the California firm of Hoffenblum-Mollrich. After three years working for the California Assembly Republican Caucus, he returned to school to become a lawyer. Following law school he clerked for the Honorable Danny J. Boggs on the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and as an associate in the Philadelphia office
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Latest from Henry Olsen

How we left Afghanistan was wrong. But leaving was right.

Great powers must assess risks and opportunities based on overall national security.

July 10, 2023

Democrats, spare me your complaints about partisan justices

Democratic-appointed justices are clearly more partisan than their Republican-appointed peers.

July 7, 2023

California is seeking to upend trucking. Americans will pay for it.

California's attempt to force the industry to adopt zero-emissions vehicles could wreak havoc nationally.

June 20, 2023

DeSantis has a risky strategy to beat Trump — and it just might work

It might be improbable. But so was Trump's victory.

June 13, 2023

Pence is uniquely situated to torpedo Trump’s campaign

By joining forces with Chris Christie, the former vice president could do his party a great service.

June 8, 2023

The U.S. needs to keep Poland close. But it must tread carefully.

The United States must not let itself get sucked into Poland's partisan warfare.

June 5, 2023

Race once governed U.S. voting patterns. That’s quickly changing.

Just because voting patterns are racially polarized does not mean they are racially motivated.

May 31, 2023

Kari Lake’s apparent VP ambitions should make the GOP nervous

The Arizona Republican is clearly vying for a national audience. That would complicate her likely Senate bid.

May 30, 2023

Here’s a solution to DeSantis’s Social Security and Medicare conundrum

The Florida governor can appeal to populists and fiscal hawks at the same time.

May 17, 2023

U.S. conservatives have found an alarming model for their movement

Embracing Hungary's strongman is as wrong-headed as it is dangerous.

May 15, 2023