The Washington Times promotes Jason Sickels to executive director of Threat Status

Most newsrooms treat national security like a niche interest, something to get around to when there’s a lull. The Washington Times just did the opposite. Promoting Jason Sickels to executive director of Threat Status is a signal that the paper intends to take the world’s dangers seriously, not as a talking point, but as a full-time beat. Good. That’s the kind of commitment we need more of.

Threat Status isn’t just another podcast or event series. It’s a platform designed to keep policymakers and the public focused on the actual enemies we face, from state adversaries to border security gaps. Sickels has been part of that effort, and this promotion puts him in charge of expanding it. That’s a promotion worth paying attention to. It’s also a reminder that real journalism about threats doesn’t have to be doom-scrolling or fear-mongering. It can be clear-eyed and sober, which is exactly what this moment demands.

The left tends to treat national security coverage as either a pretext for foreign wars or a reason to lecture about civil liberties. That’s lazy. The Washington Times is building something different, a space where the conversation starts with what threatens America, not with how to feel bad about defending it. Sickels has a real opportunity here. And for readers who want substance over spin, Threat Status is becoming a name to watch.

We don’t need every outlet to agree with us on policy. But we do need more of them to treat the threat landscape as an urgent story. This move suggests at least one newsroom gets it.