{"id":2575733,"date":"2026-03-03T18:01:01","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T23:01:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lawmakers-grill-top-pentagon-official-on-how-iran-conflict-fits-national-strategy\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T18:03:40","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T23:03:40","slug":"lawmakers-grill-top-pentagon-official-on-how-iran-conflict-fits-national-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lawmakers-grill-top-pentagon-official-on-how-iran-conflict-fits-national-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawmakers grill top Pentagon official on how Iran conflict fits national strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Flawmakers-grill-top-pentagon-official-on-how-iran-conflict-fits-national-strategy%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2575733&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Lawmakers on the Senate Armed Services Commitee grilled Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon\u2019s undersecretary for policy, about how the current conflict with Iran fits into the governance\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-releases-list-of-president-trumps-accomplishments-and-it-is-historic\/\" title=\"White House Releases List of President Trump\u2019s Accomplishments \u2013  And It Is Historic!\">national security strategy<\/a>. Colby testified\u2014the frist Pentagon official to appear before congress sence Operation epic Fury against Iran\u2014to discuss the administration\u2019s National Defense Strategy and how it aligns with ongoing military actions in the region. Senators from both parties criticized the NDS for downplaying the Middle East and urged a clearer connection between broad strategy and regional threats. Colby defended the approach, arguing that America First and Peace Through Strength are advanced by countering Iran\u2019s missiles, drones, navy, and nuclear ambitions, and by suppressing the threat rather than pursuing endless interventions. The hearing also tackled the risk of broader escalation, with Colby insisting that ultimate decisions rest with the President, while senators such as Angus King warned about the disturbing implications of U.S. actions tied to Israel and the potential for the U.S. to be drawn further into conflict; Rep. Marco Rubio noted that the U.S. anticipated Israeli action could trigger Iranian retaliation, a point Colby acknowledged as truthful.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Lawmakers grill top Pentagon policy official on how Iran war fits national security strategy<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2521900\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Both Democrat and Republican lawmakers grilled <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/elbridge-colby\">Elbridge Colby<\/a>, the undersecretary of defense for policy, about how the ongoing war with <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/iran\">Iran<\/a> fits into the administration&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nvidia-sellout-to-china-threatens-us-national-security\/\" title=\"Nvidia sellout to China ...ens US national security\">broader national security strategy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Colby&rsquo;s appearance in front of the Armed Services Committee on Tuesday morning made him the first Pentagon official to appear in front of Congress since the United States and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/israel\">Israel<\/a> launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran. His testimony was scheduled before the conflict broke out, and he was there to answer questions about the administration&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/u-s-donates-3-field-hospitals-to-argentina-amid-covid-surge\/\" title=\"U.S. donates 3 field hospitals to Argentina amid COVID surge\">national defense strategy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4477277\/trump-stockpiles-concerns-iran-us-israel\/\">Trump dismisses concerns of diminished US stockpiles in wake of Operation Epic Fury<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4478100\/counter-drone-defense-spotlighted-american-casualties-iran\/\">Counter-drone defense in the spotlight after deaths of US service members in Kuwait<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4478051\/watch-live-elbridge-colby-updates-senate-on-national-defense-strategy\/\">WATCH LIVE: Elbridge Colby updates Senate on National Defense Strategy<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The administration&rsquo;s national defense strategy acknowledged the threat posed by Iran but also seemingly downplayed its broader prioritization of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/middle-east\">Middle East<\/a>. Instead, the policy document prioritized securing and defending the homeland and the Western Hemisphere.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The NDS also says little about our vital interests in the Middle East,&rdquo; Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/roger-wicker\">Roger Wicker<\/a> (R-MS), the chairman of the committee, said. &ldquo;This seems out of step with repeated military actions to deal with the ongoing threat of Iran.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), the top Democrat on the committee, said, &ldquo;I must be blunt at the outset: this NDS is a flawed proposal, and it is now, in many respects, already obsolete.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Elbridge Colby, under secretary of defense for policy, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. The Pentagon&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >top strategy official acknowledged<\/a> that the US operations against Iran are outside the scope of the Trump administration&rsquo;s plans to have allies and partners pick up more of the burden for collective security. Photographer: Graeme Sloan\/Bloomberg via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Reed added: &ldquo;Your NDS states &lsquo;no longer will the department be distracted by interventionism, endless wars, regime change, and nation building.&rsquo; Yet we have repeatedly intervened, started wars, and sought regime change in the past eight weeks alone, much less the past year.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>Colby pushed back against arguments that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is contradictory to the president&rsquo;s foreign policy doctrine.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I would say America First and Peace Through Strength are served by rolling back, as the military campaign is designed to do, the threats posed by Iran&rsquo;s very large and growing missile and one-way <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-sanctions-iranian-network-that-supplies-drones-for-russia\/\" title=\"US sanctions Iranian network supplying drones to Russia.\">attack drone program<\/a>, its navy, and of course ensuring that it doesn&rsquo;t have a nuclear weapon,&rdquo; Colby said.<\/p>\n<p>The undersecretary also stood by comments from Secretary of State <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/marco-rubio\">Marco Rubio<\/a> made a day earlier, that the U.S. was worried about potentially getting targeted in Iranian retaliation for an Israeli operation, even if they weren&rsquo;t involved.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action,&rdquo; Rubio said on Monday. &ldquo;We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didn&rsquo;t preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4476538\/israel-us-iran-conflict-launched-trump-khamenei\/\">HOW THE IRAN CONFLICT WAS LAUNCHED: &lsquo;OPERATION EPIC FURY IS APPROVED. NO ABORTS. GOOD LUCK&rsquo;<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Colby affirmed that Rubio &ldquo;told the truth,&rdquo; and said President Donald Trump was the final decision-maker despite Rubio&rsquo;s comments giving the impression the U.S. carried out the attack on Iran because they knew Iran would retaliate for an Israeli operation even if they didn&rsquo;t participate.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Angus King (I-ME) called the &ldquo;breathtaking implication&rdquo; of Israel signing the U.S. up for war &ldquo;very disturbing.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lawmakers grill Pentagon policy chief on Iran war<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2671,"featured_media":2575734,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2264040933.jpg?w=594","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[4402,3998,3823,23344,5894],"class_list":["post-2575733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-congress","tag-defense","tag-iran","tag-national-security","tag-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2264040933.jpg?w=594","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2575733","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2671"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2575733"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2575733\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2575737,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2575733\/revisions\/2575737"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2575734"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2575733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2575733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2575733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}