Michael Birnbaum

Washington, D.C.

National security reporter covering diplomacy and the State Department

Education: Yale University, BA in History; Deep Springs College

Michael Birnbaum is a national security reporter for The Washington Post, covering the State Department and diplomacy. He previously served in Europe for more than a decade as the The Post’s bureau chief in Brussels, Moscow and Berlin. He has reported for The Post from more than 40 countries, covering the conflict in Ukraine, the Egyptian revolution, the fall of Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi and the Arab Spring elsewhere in the Middle East. He also covered climate and security from Washington. Birnbaum has a degree in German history from Yale University. He grew up in Chicago.
Latest from Michael Birnbaum

Blinken visits Haiti in show of U.S. support for struggling government

Blinken’s trip to Haiti was a gamble for the Biden administration, calling attention to an unresolved crisis that, if mismanaged, could cause a migration surge.

September 5, 2024
Haitian interim prime minister Garry Conille and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hold a news conference at the U.S. ambassador's residence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Sept. 5.

Blinken indicates he would decline any offer to stay on under Harris

The secretary of state says he is looking forward to spending more time with his children.

September 5, 2024
Vice President Kamala Harris, President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the White House last year.

U.S., Philippines reach deal to assist Afghan allies

Hundreds of Afghan refugees will be temporarily relocated to the Philippines as part of a new pathway to U.S. resettlement.

August 19, 2024
A woman holds an Afghan passport in Islamabad, Pakistan, in 2023.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh killed in Iran, sparking fears of wider war

The killing, which Iran and Hamas blamed on Israel and pledged to avenge, threatens to plunge the region further into chaos and raised fresh doubts about Gaza cease-fire talks.

July 31, 2024
Hamas's political leader Ismail Haniyeh, center, flashes a victory sign while surrounded by Iranian lawmakers at the country's parliament in Tehran on Tuesday.

Israel says it killed Hezbollah commander in Beirut suburb

The military said it killed Fuad Shukr, whom it called a “senior military commander,” in retaliation for a deadly rocket strike in the Golan Heights.

July 31, 2024

Blinken, Austin detail new U.S. security commitments for Philippines

The defense cooperation plans come as Manila seeks to bolster its ability to resist pressure from an increasingly assertive Chinese military in the South China Sea.

July 30, 2024

Rising from Biden’s shadow, Harris faces crucial test on foreign policy

As vice president to a longtime statesman, Kamala Harris was given a limited portfolio. Republicans see a weakness. Aides say she’d face crisis with tenacity.

July 30, 2024
Vice President Harris attends the Munich Security Conference in Germany over the winter.

Blinken warns China’s top diplomat that Harris cares about rules-based order

Saturday’s meeting came amid a dramatic shift in Washington following President Biden’s decision to end his reelection campaign.

July 27, 2024
Secretary of State Antony Blinken with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting of foreign ministers Saturday in Laos.

Democratic foreign policy heavyweights endorse Harris in open letter

John Kerry, Susan Rice and others in the Democratic foreign policy establishment are lining up behind Kamala Harris for president, noting her international leadership.

July 23, 2024
Vice President Harris speaks at a news conference at the Munich Security Conference in Germany in February.

In Vance, Trump picks a like-minded isolationist on foreign policy

On U.S. foreign policy, J.D. Vance has opposed aid for Ukraine, supported negotiations with Russia, and believes the U.S. is failing to compete with China.

July 16, 2024
Former president Donald Trump shakes hands with Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) on Monday during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.