Daniel Benjamin

Daniel Benjamin is the Norman E. McCulloch Jr. director of the John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding at Dartmouth College. In addition to his role at the Dickey Center, he serves as the president of The American Academy in Berlin. His extensive experience in international affairs spans over three decades, including his time as Ambassador-at-Large and Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the U.S. State Department, where he was the principal advisor to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on counterterrorism. Under his leadership, the Office of the Coordinator was elevated to become the Bureau of Counterterrorism. He has held high-level positions, such as a White House aide and a veteran of the Obama administration, contributing significantly to U.S. foreign policy, particularly in regions like Somalia, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, and Syria.

Benjamin has authored and co-authored influential books on terrorism and U.S. foreign policy. His notable works include "The Age of Sacred Terror" (2002) and "The Next Attack: The Failure of the War on Terror and a Strategy for Getting It Right" (2005), both of which received critical acclaim and were recognized as best books of the year by major publications. His essays have been featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, Foreign Affairs, New York Review of Books, Politico, and many other respected publications. He frequently appears on major television and radio programs, including "60 Minutes," "Frontline," "The News Hour," "All Things Considered," "The Today Show," "Good Morning America," and "The Oprah Winfrey Show," providing expert analysis on global threats and terrorism trends.

Benjamin's academic background is equally distinguished. He began his career in journalism, serving as Germany bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal and Germany correspondent for TIME magazine. He holds degrees from Oxford, where he was a Marshall Scholar, and Harvard, where he completed his undergraduate studies, graduating magna cum laude. His engaging speaking style and deep knowledge of international relations make him a sought-after speaker and commentator on the ethical dilemmas and changing landscape of global terrorism, implications for international security, and U.S. foreign policy.