David J. Lynch

Washington, D.C.

Financial writer covering trade and globalization

Education: Yale University, MA in international relations, 1983; Wesleyan University, BA in government, 1981

David J. Lynch joined The Washington Post in November 2017 from the Financial Times, where he covered white-collar crime. He was previously the cybersecurity editor at Politico and a senior writer with Bloomberg News, focusing on the intersection of politics and economics. Earlier, he followed the global economy for USA Today, where he was the founding bureau chief in both London and Beijing. He covered the wars in Kosovo and Iraq, the latter as an embedded reporter with the U.S. Marines, and was the paper’s first recipient of a Nieman fellowship at Harvard University. He has reported from mor
Latest from David J. Lynch

Nippon Steel’s doomed effort to court union detailed in emails, letters

Nippon Steel’s attempt to acquire U.S. Steel appears poised to fail because of union opposition and national security concerns.

September 11, 2024
U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Plant, part of the Mon Valley Works, in Braddock, Pa., in 2019.

Biden decision to kill Nippon Steel deal could spark legal challenge

Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel are preparing for a legal fight if the White House blocks their deal over national security issues.

September 8, 2024
U.S. Steel's Edgar Thompson Works in Braddock, Pa., seen on June 19, 2019. President Joe Biden is preparing to announce that he will formally block Nippon Steel’s proposed $14.9 billion acquisition of the American firm.

Biden preparing to block Nippon Steel purchase of U.S. Steel

President Joe Biden is set to block Nippon Steel’s $14.9 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel, a major industry move.

September 4, 2024
President Joe Biden, backstage before speaking at the Democratic National Convention last month, is said to be close to announcing a move to formally block Nippon Steel’s proposed $14.9 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel.

Inflation is falling, but the next president could bring it back

Both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are pushing economic ideas that – whatever their merits – could raise prices on many goods and services, some economists said.

August 21, 2024
A shopper looks over produce at a street market in Boston on Aug. 16. During a campaign rally in North Carolina, Vice President Kamala Harris announced her economic proposals, including a federal ban on grocery price gouging. (CJ Gunther/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

For Pa. presidential bellwether, inflation is just the latest challenge

In Erie — a bellwether county that voted for Obama, Trump and Biden — inflation is just part of the reason why voters don’t trust politicians on the economy.

August 17, 2024
American Legion Post 700 in Erie, Pa., this week.

Companies are reshaping operations to cope with a changing climate

Companies are increasingly changing the way they do business to cope with increasingly frequent episodes of extreme weather.

July 25, 2024
People on July 8 walk along flooded Allen Parkway after Hurricane Beryl hit Houston.

New British government inherits worst economic plight since World War II

Like President Biden, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer promises a more active government with investments in green energy to improve economic prospects.

July 10, 2024
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer talks to journalists as he flies to Washington on Tuesday to attend a NATO summit.

Biden wants to cut U.S. need for Chinese cranes; ports fear higher costs

President Biden has proposed a 25 percent tariff on Chinese cranes to encourage domestic alternatives, which could take years.

July 9, 2024
A boat from the Harford County Sheriff's Office moves past cranes and containers at the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, Md., Wednesday, June 12, 2024. Federal, state, and local officials held a news conference to mark the full reopening of the Port of Baltimore following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Soaring U.S. debt poses risks to global economy, IMF warns

Soaring U.S. debt poses risks to the global economy, the IMF warns. Government red ink is the only blemish on a strong economic track record for the U.S.

June 27, 2024
The International Monetary Fund building in D.C.

Chinese subsidies for drones, chips put U.S. at risk, House panel says

The select committee is scheduled to hear testimony on Chinese practices in the drone, semiconductor, shipbuilding and steel industries on Wednesday.

June 26, 2024
Bundles of steel tubes at a trading market last month in Jinan, China. China's steel exports have swelled, prompting a backlash overseas as some economies impose higher tariffs.