David E. Hoffman

Contributing editor

Education: The University of Delaware; Oxford University

David E. Hoffman is a contributing editor to The Washington Post. He joined the newspaper in 1982 and covered the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. He was later diplomatic correspondent and the newspaper’s bureau chief in Jerusalem and Moscow, then foreign editor and assistant managing editor for foreign news. He is the author of "The Oligarchs: Wealth and Power in the New Russia" (PublicAffairs, 2002); "The Dead Hand: The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race and Its Dangerous Legacy" (Doubleday, 2009), which won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction; "The Billion
Share confidential news tips with The Post
Latest from David E. Hoffman

An insider’s view of Ronald Reagan’s dysfunctional foreign policy team

Secretary of State George P. Shultz called it "the worst organization I’ve ever seen" and often felt sidelined, according to Philip Taubman’s new book.

January 11, 2023

Mikhail Gorbachev, last leader of the Soviet Union, dies at 91

He embarked on a path of radical reform that propelled the communist country toward collapse.

August 30, 2022

‘La liberación nace del alma’: la lucha de Oswaldo Payá por una Cuba libre

Esta es la historia de Oswaldo Payá, un hombre que luchó contra los Castro en Cuba.

June 17, 2022

‘Liberation is born from the soul’: Oswaldo Payá’s struggle for a free Cuba

This is the story of how one man fought the Castros.

June 16, 2022

Newly released documents shed light on 1983 nuclear war scare with Soviets

The Soviet Union prepared for “the immediate use of nuclear weapons” in response to a NATO military exercise, according to the U.S. documents.

February 17, 2021

George P. Shultz, counsel and Cabinet member for two Republican presidents, dies at 100

As President Reagan’s secretary of state, he played a critical role in the dramatic easing of tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union.

February 7, 2021

David Forden, CIA case officer who handled pivotal Cold War operation, dies at 88

He became the agency’s chief contact with Ryszard Kuklinski, a Polish army officer who provided copies of secret Soviet war plans and other critical insights into Soviet military doctrine and thinking.

February 13, 2019

George H.W. Bush valued expertise, prudence in navigating a world on fire

His presidency came during a period of heavy tumult, but even in its hardest moments, he remained steadfast and cautious.

December 1, 2018

Before meeting with Kim, Trump should look back to Reykjavik

The 1986 summit between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev could give the president a lesson plan in preparation.

March 15, 2018

How Gorbachev evolved into a radical proponent of change

William Taubman shows how the Soviet state weakened as the people gained strength.

September 8, 2017