But, in only one instance — when Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, pressed him, demanding, “In February 2022, did Russian forces cross the border and invade Ukraine? Yes or no? — he told the Senate Armed Services Committee that she was “describing a factual reality” that is “demonstrably true.”
Trump in recent weeks 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. On Friday, in a stunning Oval Office blow up, Trump berated Zelenskyy and said he wasn't grateful enough for America's support.
Against that backdrop, Colby also would not answer whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is a war criminal or had committed war crimes. The International Criminal Court in 2023 issued an arrest warrant for Putin for war crimes, accusing him of being personally responsible for the abductions of children from Ukraine.
And when asked about Trump's decision Monday to pause military aid to Kyiv, Colby said the president has a plan to end the war and ensure a secure and sovereign Ukraine.
Colby, who served as deputy assistant defense secretary for strategy during the first Trump administration, also faced repeated questions from both Democratic and Republican senators on previous statements he made suggesting the U.S. could tolerate and contain a nuclear-armed Iran.
More recently his comments on the issue have evolved. And on Tuesday, in response to questions from Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and other GOP senators, he said a nuclear armed Iran “would pose an existential threat” to the U.S. and “we should deny Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
He downplayed his previous comments over the years on Iran, saying, “was my wording always appropriate? Was my precise framing always perfect? No."
Vice President JD Vance made a quick stop at the committee hearing 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. He said the nominee will be able to work with lawmakers, and added that Colby will work to restore the defense industrial base, a key goal.
In other comments during the hearing, Colby said the U.S. “should maintain the highest level of cyber vigilance and capability vis-a-vis Russia.” Asked if the U.S. should not use offensive cyberoperations against Russia, Colby said that generally any moves by Moscow should “be reciprocated.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has paused offensive cyberoperations against Russia by U.S. Cyber Command, according to U.S. officials., who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive operations. That decision does not affect cyberoperations conducted by other agencies, including the CIA.
Colby has also made comments in the past about pulling back from commitments in the Middle East in order to focus more on China. Asked on Tuesday about threats from an array of adversaries, including China, Iran and North Korea, he said the U.S. doesn’t have a “multi-war military.”
He said the U.S. should not abandon the Middle East, there should not be a nuclear-armed Iran, Russia must not “run roughshod” over Europe and North Korea shouldn't take over South Korea.
But he said he also believes the U.S. “could be at the precipice of a major war with China” and added that the U.S. can’t deal with all of those issues at the same time. The country, he said, needs a credible plan, more resources and additional help from allies.