J.J. Green

J.J. Green

National Security Correspondent

J.J Green is the national security correspondent at WTOP. He reports daily on international security, intelligence, foreign policy, terrorism and cyber developments. He provides regular reporting and on-air analysis on breaking and continuing security news. He also hosts the weekly podcast Target USA, which examines the threats facing the US, the weekly broadcast program, The Hunt, which tracks emerging terror threats. And he’s the author of WTOP’s Inside the SCIF newsletter.

He has been embedded with the US military three times in war zones –in Iraq, Afghanistan, East Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. He’s traveled to more than 50 countries investigating, reporting and analyzing some of the world’s top international security stories, including the war in Ukraine. He’s flown with the Air Force Thunderbirds, and received their 9G pin, and traveled underway on the USS Miami, a Los Angeles Class nuclear submarine.

In May of 2023, he was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, from Champlain College for his “leadership as an author, correspondent, teacher, and expertise in international affairs.”

He has won more than 40 national, regional and local journalism awards for his work. He was the recipient of the 2017 Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation award for Distinguished Reporting on National Defense for his series Anatomy of a Russian Attack. He also received a National Edward R. Murrow Award in 2009 for his national security reporting aboard the USS Miami –Hidden Hunter. Additionally, he won the prestigious Associated Press Douglas S. Freeman award in 2010 for his investigative series, “Dignity Denied,” which explored decades of neglect at America’s hallowed Arlington National Cemetery.

In addition to his radio work, JJ has worked at six television networks as a reporter or host including ABC, CNN, BET, C-SPAN, Al Jazeera America and News Nation.

An accomplished public speaker, JJ lectures regularly at universities and colleges in the U.S. and abroad on international security issues; and speaks often to U.S. government, military and national security organizations.

JJ graduated magna cum laude from Hampton University. He’s fluent in Spanish, speaks working-level French, is studying Estonian and has previously studied Korean. An avid athlete, he is an accomplished speed skater, a regular runner, and swimmer, cross trainer and is an expert kickboxer.

He’s the founder of the Hillandale United community group, a member of the SAG/AFTRA Washington Mid-Atlantic board and the RTDNA board of directors.

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