Senators criticize Pentagon official over evasive Iran war briefing

Bipartisan senators criticized Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby on Thursday after a classified briefing they described as evasive and uninformative, particularly regarding the war in Iran and the National Defense Strategy. The briefing, mandated by Congress, was intended to update the Senate Armed Services Committee on the strategy's implementation, but senators from both parties said Colby failed to provide a substantive opening statement or clear answers to critical questions. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., called the absence of an opening statement "very peculiar" and "contemptuous," while Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said she was "very disappointed" and left without asking questions because Colby was not giving clear responses. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., described Colby as "disastrously unresponsive and evasive," prompting concern on both sides of the aisle. The Iran war emerged as a major focus of the discussion, despite the briefing's official subject. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.