Eric Schmitt
Eric Schmitt is a national security correspondent for The New York Times based in Washington. He has been a reporter at The New York Times for 40 years, starting as a news assistant and working his way up to cover the U.S. military, counterterrorism and other national security issues for more than three decades. Schmitt has covered every conflict involving the U.S. military since the 1991 Persian Gulf war, and reported extensively from Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa and the Middle East. He is the co-author of Counterstrike: The Untold Story of America’s Secret Campaign Against Al Qaeda. Schmitt earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Williams College, studied in Madrid for a year and was a journalism fellow at Stanford University. He was born in Minneapolis and reared in the San Francisco Bay Area. Schmitt does not participate in politics, nor do he make political donations. He is always careful to identify himself as a reporter for The Times in news-related conversations.
85%
The Daily's Verdict
This author has a mixed reputation for journalistic standards. It is advisable to fact-check, scrutinize for bias, and check for conflicts of interest before relying on the author's reporting.
Bias
90%
Examples:
- The articles lean towards the U.S. perspective, with less emphasis on the Iranian side of the story.
Conflicts of Interest
75%
Examples:
- I have shared four Pulitzer Prizes.
- The actions by the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists continue to endanger international mariners and disrupt the commercial shipping lanes in the southern Red Sea and adjacent waterways.
Contradictions
86%
Examples:
- An Israeli air strike on an apartment block near al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Friday has killed 12 people and injured several more, according to local media.
- The U.S. destroyed missiles as Houthis were preparing to fire them, the Pentagon says.
- U.S troops began withdrawing from Niger at the demand of the country’s military leadership.
Deceptions
93%
Examples:
- The head of U.S. military’s Central Command said last week that ISIS-K
Recent Articles
US Military Withdrawal from Niger by September 15: Implications for Counterterrorism Operations in the Sahel Region
Broke On: Sunday, 19 May 2024The US is withdrawing its 1,000 troops from Niger by mid-September following tensions with the ruling military junta. The decision comes after Niger sought security assistance from Russia and was designated a coup by the US, triggering restrictions on military support. The withdrawal could impact counterterrorism operations in the Sahel region. 
US Quietly Sends Long-Range Missiles to Ukraine: A Shift in Conflict Dynamics
Broke On: Thursday, 25 April 2024The US covertly supplied Ukraine with long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) in March, enabling Ukraine to strike Russian forces up to 300km away. These defensive weapons, used twice against Russian targets in Crimea and Berdyansk, have escalated the conflict dynamics. 
US Military to Withdraw from Niger: Impact on Counterterrorism Efforts and Sahel Region
Broke On: Friday, 19 April 2024Over 1,000 US troops set to leave Niger amidst revoked military cooperation deal and growing Russian presence in the region. The withdrawal impacts counterterrorism efforts and raises concerns about jihadist violence in the Sahel region. 
ISIS-K: The Dangerous Terrorist Group Behind the Moscow Attack and Its Plans for Europe
Broke On: Monday, 25 March 2024ISIS-K, a terrorist group active in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran, carried out an attack near Moscow that killed scores of people. The organization has set its sights on attacking Europe with little warning. Avril D. Haines considers the threat from ISIS as a significant counterterrorism concern. 
Israeli Air Strikes in Gaza and US Airstrikes in Yemen: January 19, 2024
Broke On: Friday, 19 January 2024On January 19, 2024, Israeli air strikes on an apartment block near al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City killed 12 people and injured several more. The Times of Israel reported that the airstrike was part of ongoing violence between Israel and Hamas. Meanwhile, the United States carried out another round of strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, according to reports from Reuters. Five U.S. Special Operations Troops Killed in Mediterranean Helicopter Crash
Broke On: Saturday, 11 November 2023Five members of the U.S. Army Special Operations forces were killed in a helicopter crash in the eastern Mediterranean Sea during a refueling training mission. The Pentagon has dispatched commando teams to Cyprus, including the Army's Delta Force and the Navy's SEAL Team 6, to stand by for potential evacuation of American citizens from the region. An American aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford, is also operating in the eastern Mediterranean off the coast of Israel as a deterrent to Iran and its proxies in the region. The U.S. issued a flight notice early Saturday noting a search-and-rescue operation in the sea between Cyprus and Lebanon. The Pentagon has deployed thousands of American troops to the Middle East as conflict escalates between U.S. ally Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas. U.S. Military Conducts Airstrikes on Iranian-Linked Sites in Syria and Iraq
Broke On: Thursday, 26 October 2023The U.S. military carried out airstrikes on facilities in Syria and Iraq operated by Iranian-backed forces. The U.S. Department of Defense stated that the strikes were defensive and intended to deter Iran and protect U.S. personnel. The Pentagon confirmed the success of the strikes but did not provide details on the extent of the damage or any casualties. Investigations Suggest Misfired Hamas Rocket Caused Gaza Hospital Explosion
Broke On: Tuesday, 24 October 2023An explosion at the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza was initially attributed to an Israeli airstrike. U.S. intelligence agencies suggest the explosion may have been caused by a misfired Hamas rocket.