Neighbors Back Soldier Who Asked Tough Questions

By John Ydstie

Published December 10, 2004 at 12:00 AM EST

The soldier who asked Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld about the shortage of armored Humvees is a national guardsman from Nashville. Tennessee residents talk about Army Spc. Thomas Wilson, and what people there think about his audacity. Hear NPR's John Ydstie.

John Ydstie

John Ydstie has covered the economy, Wall Street, and the Federal Reserve at NPR for nearly three decades. Over the years, NPR has also employed Ydstie's reporting skills to cover major stories like the aftermath of Sept. 11, Hurricane Katrina, the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal, and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. He was a lead reporter in NPR's coverage of the global financial crisis and the Great Recession, as well as the network's coverage of President Trump's economic policies. Ydstie has also been a guest host on the NPR news programs Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. Ydstie stepped back from full-time reporting in late 2018, but plans to continue to contribute to NPR through part-time assignments and work on special projects.

See stories by John Ydstie