Trump taps Elbridge Colby as undersecretary of defense for policy
Colby opposes direct military action against Iran’s nuclear program, preferring to maintain a policy of containment
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he had tapped Elbridge Colby as undersecretary of defense for policy in his next administration, elevating a former Pentagon official whose dovish views on Iran have faced scrutiny from some pro-Israel conservatives.
In a statement, Trump described Colby as a “highly respected advocate for our America First foreign and defense policy,” saying that he “will work closely with my outstanding Secretary of Defense Nominee, Pete Hegseth, to restore our Military power, and achieve my policy of PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH,” Trump said in a statement.
“Bridge served with distinction in the Pentagon in my First Term, leading the effort on my landmark 2018 Defense strategy,” Trump continued, adding that Colby “will make an excellent addition to my team, who will, Make America Great Again!”
Colby, who served as a deputy assistant secretary of defense in Trump’s first administration, had been expected to land another Pentagon posting, even as he has drawn criticism from more hawkish Republicans over his analysis of Iran — which he sees as a less urgent threat to American national security interests than China.
Notably, he has opposed direct military action against Iran, while arguing that containing a nuclear Iran “is an eminently plausible and practical objective.”
“If Iran’s provocations need to be answered, Washington must do so in a way that limits military involvement in the Middle East,” Colby wrote in a 2019 article. “If this means doing less than we might like against Iran, so be it.”
By contrast, Hegseth, a Fox News host and military veteran, has urged Trump to bomb Iran.
Trump and his team have also indicated that the president-elect is planning to return to a maximum pressure campaign against Iran, and is reportedly weighing preventive airstrikes to contain Iran’s nuclear program.
After he left the Trump administration in 2018, Colby worked for WestExec Advisors, a consulting firm co-founded by Secretary of State Tony Blinken. Colby has also served as a partner at the Marathon Initiative, a think-tank he co-founded.
In recent weeks, he had drawn support from prominent MAGA backers such as Tucker Carlson and Vivek Ramaswamy, who raised hopes he would join the administration.
“I am profoundly honored by and grateful to President @realdonaldtrump for nominating me to serve as his Under Secretary of Defense for Policy,” Colby posted to X on Sunday.
“If confirmed by the Senate, it would be an exceptional privilege to work with @petehegseth and his team to implement President Trump’s vitally necessary agenda. As the President has rightly made so clear, it is vital to focus our defense policy on restoring peace through strength and always putting America first.”
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) called Colby “an excellent choice for perilous times” in a social media post after Trump’s announcement.