Jeremy Scahill

Jeremy Scahill
Name	Jeremy Scahill
Birth date	18 October 1974
Birth place	Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Wisconsin–Madison
Occupation	Journalist, Author, Documentary filmmaker
Known for	Investigative journalism, The Intercept, ''Dirty Wars''
Employer	The Intercept
Website	https://theintercept.com/staff/jeremy-scahill/

Jeremy Scahill is an American investigative journalist, author, and documentary filmmaker known for his in-depth reporting on United States foreign policy, national security, and privatized military forces. A co-founder of the digital media outlet The Intercept, his work has focused extensively on the War on Terror, targeted killing programs, and the activities of private security firms like Blackwater Worldwide. Scahill's reporting, often characterized by its critical perspective on U.S. military and intelligence operations, has been recognized with numerous awards including the George Polk Award and National Magazine Award.

Early life and education

Born in Chicago, he was raised in a working-class family in the city's South Side neighborhood. His early political awareness was influenced by his family's Irish American heritage and their support for the Irish Republican Army during the Troubles. Scahill attended University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he studied Latin American studies and became involved with the campus anti-war and Central America solidarity movements. His time at the university coincided with significant political events, including the Gulf War and the Zapatista uprising in Chiapas.

Journalism career

He began his journalism career in the mid-1990s as a producer and correspondent for the independent radio and television program Democracy Now!, where he covered stories from conflict zones including Yugoslavia and Iraq. His early reporting established a focus on the human cost of war and corporate influence on foreign policy. Scahill gained wider prominence through his relentless investigation into Blackwater Worldwide, exposing the company's activities during the Iraq War and its controversial shooting in Nisour Square. This work positioned him as a leading critic of the military-industrial complex and the expansion of private military contractors.

The Intercept and First Look Media

In 2014, he became a founding editor and writer for The Intercept, an online publication launched by journalists Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras under the umbrella of Pierre Omidyar's First Look Media. The outlet was created to publish stories based on the archive of documents provided by National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden. At The Intercept, he has led and contributed to major investigations into U.S. drone strikes, the Trump administration's foreign policy, and the activities of U.S. Special Operations forces in Africa and the Middle East.

Books and major investigations

His first book, Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army (2007), became a national bestseller and provided a definitive account of the private security firm's rise during the Presidency of George W. Bush. He followed this with Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield (2013), which explored the expansion of covert warfare under the Presidency of Barack Obama, including the roles of the Joint Special Operations Command and the Central Intelligence Agency. The book was adapted into an Academy Award-nominated documentary film directed by Rick Rowley.

Awards and recognition

His journalism has received significant critical acclaim, including two National Magazine Awards for his work in The Nation and The Intercept. He is a recipient of the prestigious George Polk Award for his Blackwater reporting. Other honors include the Megan Liberman Award from the New York Press Club, the Izzy Award for independent journalism, and the Puffin/Nation Prize for Creative Citizenship. The documentary Dirty Wars was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2014.

Personal life

He maintains a relatively private personal life but is known to reside in New York City. A frequent public speaker, he has delivered lectures at universities including Brown University and the University of California, Berkeley, and has appeared as a commentator on major news programs such as Democracy Now!, The Rachel Maddow Show, and Real Time with Bill Maher. He is also a contributing editor to the magazine The Nation.

Category:American investigative journalists Category:American anti–Iraq War activists Category:Writers from Chicago Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni Category:Living people