Stephen James “Steve” Chapman (born February 25, 1954) is an American opinion journalist and contributing columnist for the Chicago Tribune.

Chapman was born in Brady, Texas and grew up in Midland and Austin, graduating from A.N.

Chapman was a staff writer and associate editor of The New Republic magazine from 1978 to 1981.

[2] He joined the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune in 1981 and began writing a twice-a-week opinion column on national and international affairs in 1982.

Media critic Jack Shafer has described him as “a polymath, a creative policy wonk, a tap-dancing writer, a true son of liberty, (and) a failed Christian,” noting his “pro-gun, antigovernment, pro-peace, anti-drug-war, pro-market views.”[4] Chapman has described his political views as “moderate libertarian.”[5] Chapman has two sons and a daughter from his first marriage.