Author Archive

Kevin Baron

Kevin Baron

Executive Editor

Kevin Baron is the founding executive editor of Defense One. Baron has lived in Washington for 20 years, covering international affairs, the military, the Pentagon, Congress, and politics for Foreign Policy, National Journal, Stars and Stripes, and the Boston Globe, where he ran investigative projects for five years at the Washington bureau. He is a frequent on-air contributor and previously was national security/military analyst at NBC News & MSNBC. Baron cut his muckraking teeth at the Center for Public Integrity and he is twice a Polk Award winner and former vice president of the Pentagon Press Association. He earned his M.A. in media and public affairs from George Washington University, his B.A. in international studies from the University of Richmond, and studied in Paris. Raised in Florida, Baron now lives in Northern Virginia.
Kevin Baron is the founding executive editor of Defense One. Baron has lived in Washington for 20 years, covering international affairs, the military, the Pentagon, Congress, and politics for Foreign Policy, National Journal, Stars and Stripes, and the Boston Globe, where he ran investigative projects for five years at the Washington bureau. He is a frequent on-air contributor and previously was national security/military analyst at NBC News & MSNBC. Baron cut his muckraking teeth at the Center for Public Integrity and he is twice a Polk Award winner and former vice president of the Pentagon Press Association. He earned his M.A. in media and public affairs from George Washington University, his B.A. in international studies from the University of Richmond, and studied in Paris. Raised in Florida, Baron now lives in Northern Virginia.
Defense

Pentagon Bars Most Guests, Travelers Starting Monday

New restrictions apply to visitors, foreigners, ceremonies. International travelers must wait 14 days for entry.

  • Kevin Baron, Defense One
Defense

General Takes Blame for ‘No Injuries’ Declaration After Jan. 8 Iran Strike

“I was never under any pressure at any time to shade this reporting,” CENTCOM’s Gen. Frank McKenzie told Congress. More than 100 troops later were diagnosed with TBI.

  • Kevin Baron, Defense One
Defense

Now It's 64. Wounded Troop Tally from Iran Missile Strike Rises Again

Trump “understands the nature” of brain injuries, says Defense Secretary Esper after the president downplayed Americans’ wounds as not “serious.”

  • Kevin Baron, Defense One
Defense

Eleven U.S. Troops Were Injured in Jan. 8 Iran Missile Strike

The troops were medevaced this week to Germany and Kuwait to be treated for traumatic brain injury after experiencing concussion symptoms.

  • Kevin Baron, Defense One
Defense

Pentagon Vows to Guard the Syrian Oil That Trump Wants to Seize

That includes warding off Syrian and Russian forces, SecDef Esper says, with murky justification under domestic and international law.

  • Kevin Baron and Katie Bo Williams, Defense One
Defense

ISIS Leader Baghdadi Killed Himself During U.S. Special Ops Raid, Trump Confirms

Trump claims, against the evidence, that killing Baghdadi was administration's "top national security priority."

  • Kevin Baron and Katie Bo Williams, Defense One
Defense

Trump Declares Victory in Syria, Claims Credit for It All

“Let someone else fight over this long-bloodstained sand,” the president says, as Congress fumes.

  • Kevin Baron, Defense One
Featured eBooks
Life After Government
Artificial Intelligence in Action
Cyber in the Era of Great Power Competition
Defense

Viewpoint: The Mattis Two-Step

The forever general’s attempt to "stay out of politics" is bringing him right into it.

  • Kevin Baron, Defense One
Defense

General’s Sexual Assault Accuser Was Deemed a ‘Toxic, Self-Centered Abuser,’ New Docs Reveal

Hundreds of previously unseen pages of two investigations paint Army Col. Kathryn Spletstoser as an abusive coworker with motive for revenge against Gen. John Hyten.

  • Kevin Baron and Marcus Weisgerber, Defense One
Defense

Trump Says U.S. Troops Shouldn’t Be ‘Policemen’ in Afghanistan. So Why Are They There?

In a puzzling Oval Office press conference, the commander-in-chief throws his purported strategy into doubt.

  • Kevin Baron, Defense One
Management

Esper Assures Wary Senators He'll Keep Military Out of Politics

During his confirmation hearing, the SecDef nominee was asked about Trump, China, and Russia — and not Afghanistan, ISIS, or al-Qaeda.

  • Kevin Baron, Defense One
Defense

Countries May Begin Backfilling U.S. Troops in Syria Within Weeks, Envoy Says

In an exclusive interview, Amb. Jim Jeffrey also confirmed a breakthrough agreement that could restart the Geneva peace process.

  • Kevin Baron, Defense One
Defense

Top Diplomat Slams ‘Endless War’ Cries of Campaign Trail as ‘the Echo of the 1930s’

“I get terribly worried. Because this shows total ignorance of what’s going on in the world today,” Ambassador Jim Jeffrey says.

  • Kevin Baron, Defense One
Defense

U.S. Blames Tanker Attacks On Iran; CENTCOM Releases Surveillance Video

Military officials say imagery shows Iranians in boats at the tankers, handling a mine and trying to capture crew members.

  • Kevin Baron and Katie Bo Williams
Featured eBooks
Life After Government
Artificial Intelligence in Action
Cyber in the Era of Great Power Competition
Defense

Trump’s Counter-Iran Moves Are Provocative, But They’re Not War

Truly bad messaging is undermining trust among allies and the American public — and increasing the chance of accidental escalation.

  • Kevin Baron
Defense

Trump Picks New Top NATO Commander

Top U.S. Air Force general in Europe will lead alliance as Trump officials continue to berate members for more money.

  • Kevin Baron, Defense One
Defense

Army Chief Confirms U.S. Will Hand off ISIS Fight in Syria

Gen. Mark Milley is the first senior military official to say the military is proceeding in Syria as Trump wishes.

  • Kevin Baron and Patrick Tucker, Defense One
Defense

Vaporizing Another Norm, Trump Goes Partisan Inside the Pentagon

The president uses a missile-defense policy rollout to bash Democrats before the military’s senior leaders.

  • Kevin Baron, Defense One
Defense

China’s Military Is Getting Better at a Lot of Things at Once: Pentagon Intelligence

The DIA’s first public report cites rapid advances, extended reach, and increasing confidence.

  • Kevin Baron, Defense One
Defense

The CIA Presented a ‘Smoking Gun’ on Khashoggi. What’s the Senate Going to Do About it?

Lindsey Graham and others emerged from a CIA briefing convinced that Trump and SecDef Mattis are wrong about the murder.

  • Kevin Baron, Defense One