Zachary Fryer-Biggs
Staff Writer - National Security & Intelligence
Zach covers national security and intelligence for Newsweek from Washington, D.C.
Before joining Newsweek Zach served as the Senior Pentagon Reporter for Jane’s covering national security operations and policy with a specialty in cyberwarfare. Prior to Jane’s, Zach worked for Defense News as a Senior Staff Writer covering national security and foreign policy including serving as that publication’s State Department Correspondent.
Zach grew up in New York City, did a bachelor’s in great books at St. John’s College, and a master’s in journalism at Columbia University.
Why Mattis Would Tell Trump He Supports Trans Soldiers
Secretary of Defense James Mattis sent his recommendation to the White House on Friday on whether trans service members should be allowed to serve. Mattis's predecessor argued he needed trans service members because of the Pentagon's desperate need for talent.
Can James Mattis Prevent Nuclear War With North Korea?
"As crazy as Trump may be, deep down he has trust in Mattis's judgment," says former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.
Trump Wants New Smaller Nukes To Scare Enemies
The Trump administration rolled out a new nuclear strategy on Friday that calls for the development of new, smaller nuclear weapons.
Cars Full of Guns From America Were on Way to Iraq
An American and an Iraqi national have been charged after Turkish officials discovered two cars loaded with 47 guns on their way to Iraq.
It's Really Not Easy to Get a FISA Warrant
A Republican memo suggests that the FBI and the Justice Department abused the process to get a surveillance warrant. Experts say that's hard to do.
South Korean Ambassador Pick Pulled Over War Talk
The White House pick to serve as U.S. ambassador to South Korea lost the job because of his concerns about a potential pre-emptive strike against North Korea.
Pentagon Buries Numbers On Taliban Afghanistan Control
The Pentagon told an independent watchdog not to publish numbers on insurgent control of Afghanistan, despite the fact that the data is unclassified.
U.S., South Korea Hoping Diplomacy Can Tame Kim Jong Un
"Diplomacy should impose reason on Kim's reckless rhetoric and dangerous provocations," U.S. Secretary of State James Mattis said.
Russia, China, U.S. Fighting Over Southeast Asia Again
Secretary of Defense James Mattis is traveling through Indonesia and Vietnam on a trip to help bolster U.S. influence in the region and woo several countries away from Russia and China.
Mattis Warns Turkey Strike in Afrin Could Help ISIS
ISIS could be helped by a string of Turkish military strikes against Kurdish groups in northern Syria, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis warned Tuesday.
Putin Meddled but Didn't Get What He Wanted
So what did Vladimir Putin get for all his meddling in the U.S. election? Not so much...so far.
Turkey Strike into Syria Clouds U.S. Stability Plan
A Turkish strike against a key U.S. ally in the fight against ISIS has thrown U.S. plans to stabilize northern Syria into doubt.
Former CIA Agent Charged For Keeping Classified Info
A former CIA officer allegedly had the real names of agents and operatives in a notebook found by the FBI in 2012.
Kushner Warned About Wendi Murdoch, According to Report
Kushner was warned of wife Ivanka Trump's close friend by intelligence officials, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
Nearly Half of U.S. Is in Trump 'Resistance': Poll
A new CBS News poll has 41 percent of Americans saying they are strongly against the president.
Russian Bombers Taunt U.K. Again With Flyby
The Royal Air Force scrambled a pair of fighters to intercept two Russian Blackjack bombers.
Russians Are Now Trying to Hack U.S. Senate Emails
Russian hackers have been trying to break into Senate email accounts as part of a broader influence campaign, cybersecurity experts said Friday.
Bipartisanship Saves Feds' Ability To Spy On Americans
Democrats and Republicans banded together to defeat an amendment that would have created new warrant requirements for looking at communications by Americans caught up in a surveillance database.
Email Scams Now Coming With Death Threats
A recent surge in email death threats is a sign of how cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are making things easier for hackers, according to experts.
What Mueller's Team Probably Wants To Know From Trump
Lawyers for President Donald Trump are preparing for a potential Trump interview with the team of special counsel Robert Mueller, and here's what Mueller team probably wants to know.
South Korea Pledges No Nuke Talk at North Korea Meeting
South Korea's Defense Minister promised the U.S. that only the Olympics would be discussed at a January 9 summit.
Trump Picks A Sledgehammer Over Obama's Scalpel In Iran
President Donald Trump is choosing a different approach to managing protests in Iran than Barack Obama, opting for dramatic statements rather than quiet operations. Will it work?
Trump Hands Over Business Documents to Mueller
Trump's legal team handed over a trove of business documents to Robert Mueller and congressional investigators, CNN reports.
Trump Is Losing It: Book Suggests President Is Unwell
Trump is having trouble remembering his friends and is constantly being managed "like a child," according to Michael Wolff's new book.
Former GOP Rep Says 'Deep State' Blocking Clinton Query
Former Republican House member Jason Chaffetz said on Wednesday that he believes the "deep state" is blocking Republicans from getting documents from the Justice Department about their investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails.
Trump Deletes Tweet Backing 'Fight' By Iran Protesters
President Donald Trump seemed to suggest that the U.S. might intervene to back protesters in Iran, only to delete his tweet less than a minute later.
Democrats Threaten to Accuse GOP of Sham Russia Probe
House Democrats are considering writing a report accusing Republicans of having impeded their investigation into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Marco Rubio Says Corporate Tax Cuts 'Went Too Far'
Rubio acknowledged that much of the corporate tax break would likely go to shareholders instead of efforts to add jobs or increase wages.