David Rohde

David Rohde is an American investigative journalist and author, best known for his work on international conflicts and his dramatic kidnapping by the Taliban in Afghanistan. He has won two Pulitzer Prizes for his reporting, first for his coverage of the Srebrenica massacre in Bosnia and Herzegovina and later for his examination of Wall Street practices during the financial crisis of 2007–2008. Rohde has held prominent positions at The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, and Reuters, where he serves as Global Affairs Editor, producing in-depth reports on national security, foreign policy, and human rights abuses.

Early life and education

David Rohde was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in the nearby suburb of Marblehead. He developed an early interest in current events and history, which led him to pursue a degree in history at Brown University. During his time at Brown, he wrote for the student newspaper, *The Brown Daily Herald*, and spent a semester studying abroad in Nepal, an experience that deepened his fascination with South Asia and international affairs. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1990, he began his journalism career at *The Christian Science Monitor*.

Career in journalism

Rohde's professional career began at *The Christian Science Monitor*, where he served as a correspondent based in the Balkans during the Yugoslav Wars. His groundbreaking investigation into the Srebrenica massacre, which uncovered mass graves and detailed the systematic killing of over 8,000 Bosniaks by Bosnian Serb forces under General Ratko Mladić, earned him the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting. He later joined *The New York Times*, reporting from conflict zones including Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq, and contributing to the paper's coverage of the September 11 attacks and the subsequent War in Afghanistan (2001–2021). In 2014, he moved to Reuters as Global Affairs Editor, overseeing and writing major investigations on topics ranging from cyberwarfare to Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.

Kidnapping and escape

In November 2008, while researching a book on the growing Taliban insurgency, Rohde and his local interpreter, Tahir Ludin, were kidnapped by members of the Haqqani network just outside Kabul. He was held captive for seven months in the Tribal Areas of Pakistan, moved between safe houses in North Waziristan and South Waziristan. During his captivity, his family, *The New York Times*, and the United States government conducted a secretive media blackout to prevent inflaming the situation. In June 2009, Rohde and Ludin managed to escape by climbing over a wall of the compound where they were held and finding help at a nearby Pakistani Army post. He detailed the ordeal in a series of articles for *The New York Times* and later in his book, *A Rope and a Prayer*.

Awards and recognition

Throughout his career, David Rohde has received numerous prestigious awards for his courageous and meticulous reporting. His first major honor was the 1995 George Polk Award for his reporting on Srebrenica, followed by the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting for the same work. In 2009, he shared the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting as part of a *New York Times* team that analyzed the financial crisis of 2007–2008. He has also been a finalist for the Pulitzer on other occasions and has received awards from organizations like the Overseas Press Club and the Society of Professional Journalists for his coverage of Afghanistan and national security issues.

Personal life

David Rohde is married to journalist Kristen Mulvihill, who co-wrote *A Rope and a Prayer* with him, detailing their experience during his kidnapping. The couple resides in New York City. He is a frequent commentator on global affairs for outlets like CNN, NPR, and the BBC, and serves on the board of the Committee to Protect Journalists. An advocate for press freedom and the safety of reporters in conflict zones, he often speaks about the ethical challenges of war reporting and the importance of investigative journalism in holding power to account.

Category:American journalists Category:Pulitzer Prize winners Category:Brown University alumni