Senate confirms Elbridge Colby as Pentagon policy chief despite GOP split

Colby faced bipartisan scrutiny during his confirmation over past remarks questioning Russia's invasion of Ukraine and suggesting the US could manage a nuclear-armed Iran

The Senate on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of Elbridge Colby to be the top policy adviser at the Pentagon, overcoming concerns that he has downplayed threats from Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin.

The vote was 54-45, with Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky as the only Republican voting against him. Three Democrats voted for Colby.

In a statement, McConnell said Colby's long public record suggests a willingness to discount the complexity of the challenges facing America, the critical value of our allies and partners. And McConnell said Colby's confirmation encourages isolationist perversions of peace through strength to continue apace at the highest levels of administration policymaking.

Vice President JD Vance criticized McConnell in an X post, saying that the senator's no vote - like so much of the last few years of his career - is one of the great acts of political pettiness I've ever seen.

Vance spoke at the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing early last month to urge Colby's confirmation, saying the nominee has said things in the past that alienated Republicans and Democrats and also said things that both sides would agree on.

The vice president said Colby will be able to work with lawmakers and will strive to restore the defense industrial base, a key goal.

Sen. Jim Banks, R-Indiana, said in a post Tuesday on X that Colby deeply understands the threat we face from communist China and is uniquely qualified to serve in this role. The Pentagon is better prepared to defend America with Bridge leading policy.

Colby, who served as deputy assistant defense secretary for strategy during the first Trump administration, faced repeated questions from both Democratic and Republican senators during his confirmation hearing on previous statements he had made about whether Russia had actually invaded Ukraine and his suggestions that the US could tolerate and contain a nuclear-armed Iran.

After initially declining several times to answer direct questions during his hearing on whether Russia invaded Ukraine, calling it a sensitive topic, Colby eventually acknowledged that Russia invaded its neighbour and poses a significant military threat to the US and Europe.

Previously, Trump has falsely blamed Ukraine for starting the three-year war that has cost tens of thousands of Ukrainian lives and called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a dictator for not holding elections during wartime. During a stunning Oval Office blowup, Trump berated Zelenskyy and said he wasn't grateful enough for America's support.