Senators from both parties emerged from a closed-door briefing Thursday voicing sharp frustration with the Pentagon's top policy official, Elbridge Colby, over what they described as evasive answers on the Trump administration's National Defense Strategy and the ongoing conflict in Iran.
The session with the Senate Armed Services Committee got off to a rough start when Colby opened the floor to questions without delivering an opening statement, according to Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.). Cramer told The Hill that the briefing produced "a lot more questions than answers" and that Colby's lack of prepared remarks was "very peculiar" and "weird."
Cramer characterized the exchange as "very disrespectful, to say the least," accusing Colby of engaging in a "dodge and punt." He added, "You don't have to go far in Congress to have a sort of confrontational view of Elbridge Colby, but boy, he just blew her up right from the beginning."
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) echoed the discontent, saying she was "very disappointed" and left early because Colby "was not giving any clear responses." Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) noted that while the briefing was scheduled to focus on the National Defense Strategy, Iran dominated the discussion. Still, he said, "like a lot of the briefs we get from this administration, we walk out with more questions than we had when we went in."
The frustration comes as the Iran war, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, enters its seventh month with no resolution in sight. President Trump, who initially predicted a swift victory, has acknowledged the conflict could stretch through the November midterm elections. On Thursday, Trump told Axios he faces "a big decision" on whether to "annihilate" the Iranian regime, adding, "Anything could happen with me."
Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) offered a rare positive assessment, saying Colby "was very detailed and constructive" and "didn't hide from any question." Banks attributed Democratic criticism to political posturing, saying Democrats "are going to politicize these hearings no matter what."
The briefing coincided with a letter from nearly all Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), demanding that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provide a detailed accounting of Iran war costs. The letter, also signed by Independent Sens. Bernie Sanders and Angus King, requests a breakdown of spending since the war began, how the administration's supplemental request would be used, and the allocation of $34 billion in remaining funds from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
"Despite asking for tens of billions of additional taxpayer dollars, you have so far failed to provide basic information on how this money has and will be spent," the lawmakers wrote. "Congress must have access to this information to carry out our oversight responsibilities."
The Pentagon recently reported that the war's cost has exceeded $42 billion, a $4.5 billion increase from the previous estimate. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected the conflict could cost roughly $2 billion per month going forward. As gas prices surge, the political stakes are rising for the White House, with some analysts warning of eroding midterm prospects.
Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and ranking member Jack Reed (D-R.I.) declined to comment. The president is set to meet with leaders of six Persian Gulf nations on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly next week.
