Wolf Blitzer is an American journalist and television news anchor, primarily known for his long-standing career at CNN since 1990. He's a prominent anchor at the network and has been a host of The Situation Room since 2005. He was the lead political anchor until 2021 and the sole host of The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer until March 2025. Since then, he co-hosts the show with Pamela Brown.
1948: Immigration to the United States
In 1948, Blitzer and his family immigrated to the United States under the provisions of the 1948 Displaced Persons Act.
1970: Bachelor of Arts in history
In 1970, Blitzer received a Bachelor of Arts in history from the State University of New York at Buffalo. While there, he was a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi.
1972: Master of Arts in International Relations
In 1972, Blitzer received a Master of Arts in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
1973: Hired by Jerusalem Post
In 1973, Blitzer was hired as a Washington correspondent for The Jerusalem Post.
April 1977: Questioning Anwar Sadat at White House press conference
In April 1977, at a White House press conference, Blitzer asked Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat why Egyptian scholars, athletes, and journalists were not permitted to visit Israel.
1985: Publication of 'Between Washington and Jerusalem: A Reporter's Notebook'
In 1985, Blitzer published his first book, "Between Washington and Jerusalem: A Reporter's Notebook", which outlined his development as a reporter and the relations between the United States and Israel.
1986: Coverage of Jonathan Pollard's Arrest and Trial
In 1986, Blitzer became known for his coverage of the arrest and trial of Jonathan Pollard. He was the first journalist to interview Pollard and later wrote a book about the affair.
1989: 'Territory of Lies' included in The New York Times list of "Notable Books of the Year"
In 1989, Blitzer's book about the Jonathan Pollard affair, "Territory of Lies", was included in The New York Times list of "Notable Books of the Year".
1990: Departure from The Jerusalem Post
In 1990, Blitzer left The Jerusalem Post after working there as a Washington correspondent, covering American politics and Middle East developments.
1992: CNN's White House Correspondent
In 1992, Blitzer became CNN's White House correspondent, a position he held until 1999.
1995: Emmy Award for coverage of Oklahoma City bombing
In 1995, Blitzer earned an Emmy Award for his coverage of the Oklahoma City bombing.
May 1999: Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters by the University at Buffalo
In May 1999, Blitzer was awarded the honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters by the University at Buffalo.
1999: First assignment as an anchor
In 1999, Blitzer's first assignment as an anchor was on the daily newscast The World Today.
1999: George Foster Peabody Award
In 1999, Blitzer's news team was among those awarded a George Foster Peabody Award for coverage of Hurricane Katrina.
1999: Lowell Thomas Broadcast Journalism Award
In 1999, Wolf Blitzer won the International Platform Association's Lowell Thomas Broadcast Journalism Award.
February 2000: Hubert H. Humphrey First Amendment Freedoms Prize
In February 2000, Wolf Blitzer received the Anti-Defamation League's Hubert H. Humphrey First Amendment Freedoms Prize.
2000: Anchoring Wolf Blitzer Reports
In 2000, Blitzer started anchoring his own show, "Wolf Blitzer Reports".
November 2002: Ernie Pyle Journalism Award
In November 2002, Wolf Blitzer won the American Veteran Awards' Ernie Pyle Journalism Award for military reporting.
2004: Journalist Pillar of Justice Award
In 2004, Blitzer won the Journalist Pillar of Justice Award from the Respect for Law Alliance.
August 8, 2005: Hosting The Situation Room
Since August 8, 2005, Blitzer has hosted "The Situation Room", a program on CNN.
2005: End of Wolf Blitzer Reports
In 2005, Wolf Blitzer Reports, which Wolf Blitzer anchored, ended.
May 20, 2007: Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the George Washington University
On May 20, 2007, Blitzer was awarded the honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the George Washington University at their undergraduate commencement exercise.
September 17, 2009: Celebrity Jeopardy! Appearance
On September 17, 2009, Blitzer competed on an episode of Celebrity Jeopardy!, finishing the Double Jeopardy round with negative $4,600 and ultimately losing to comedian Andy Richter.
2009: Supporting role in Back Door Channels: The Price of Peace documentary
In 2009, Wolf Blitzer played a supporting role in the documentary "Back Door Channels: The Price of Peace".
May 23, 2010: Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Niagara University
On May 23, 2010, Blitzer was awarded the honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Niagara University at their undergraduate commencement exercise.
May 14, 2011: Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Penn State University
On May 14, 2011, Wolf Blitzer received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Penn State University.
September 25, 2011: Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the University of Hartford
On September 25, 2011, Blitzer was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the University of Hartford.
May 10, 2014: Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Howard University
On May 10, 2014, Wolf Blitzer received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Howard University.
September 13, 2014: Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement
On September 13, 2014, Blitzer received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement presented by Awards Council member Rick Atkinson.
November 20, 2015: Release of Jonathan Pollard
On November 20, 2015, Jonathan Pollard was released in accordance with federal guidelines.
2018: Appearance in Mission: Impossible - Fallout
In 2018, Blitzer appeared as himself in "Mission: Impossible - Fallout", though it was later revealed that he was portraying Simon Pegg's character Benji Dunn in a Wolf Blitzer disguise.
January 2021: CNN Programming Changes
In January 2021, CNN announced programming changes, shortening The Situation Room to one hour (6–7 p.m. (ET)) beginning April 26, and expanding Jake Tapper's role at the network.
May 16, 2024: Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from The Jewish Theological Seminary
On May 16, 2024, Wolf Blitzer received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from The Jewish Theological Seminary.
August 2024: Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism
In August 2024, it was announced Wolf Blitzer would be the 2024 recipient of the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism.
January 2025: Announcement of The Situation Room Time Slot Change
In January 2025, it was announced that The Situation Room would move from its afternoon time slot and air in the mornings from 10 a.m. to noon EST in March 2025.
March 2025: Time Slot switch for The Situation Room
In March 2025, The changes to the Situation Room would officially go into effect in March.
March 2025: Co-hosting The Situation Room with Pamela Brown
In March 2025, Wolf Blitzer began co-hosting The Situation Room with Pamela Brown. This marked a change from his previous role as the sole host of the show's early evening run.
Mentioned in this timeline
The United States of America is a federal republic primarily...
The White House located at Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington...
CNN Cable News Network is an American multinational news media...
Germany officially the Federal Republic of Germany is located in...
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence continues to dominate the...
The New York Times is a globally influential American newspaper...
Trending
3 hours ago Robert Englund Eyes Freddy Krueger Return for A Nightmare on Elm Street Reboot
4 hours ago Exploring Archaeological Evidence Behind The Legendary Trojan War And Homeric Epics
5 hours ago Ike Barinholtz Coined New Name for Diarrhea Outbreak Linked to Donald Trump
6 hours ago Jurassic Park Actor Sam Neill Dies From Pneumonia
6 hours ago Woman Discovers Animals Trapped Behind Walls During Recent Dog Welfare Check
6 hours ago Killing Eve Added to Netflix Streaming Roster Amid Critical Acclaim
Popular
Lindsey Graham is a prominent American politician serving as the...
Cristiano Ronaldo widely considered one of the greatest footballers captains...
Mitch McConnell is a prominent American politician and the longest-serving...
Elon Musk is a visionary entrepreneur and engineer known for...
Candace Owens is an American conservative political commentator author and...
Bernie Sanders is a prominent American politician and the senior...