Who is Elbridge Colby, the Trump ally reviewing AUKUS?
Donald Trump's undersecretary of defense for policy is leading a review of AUKUS — and his doubts could reshape Australia’s most ambitious military pact.
Elbridge Colby is not a household name in Australia, but the man now reviewing the landmark AUKUS agreement could help shape the future of the country’s defence.
Colby, Donald Trump’s undersecretary of defense for policy, has been tasked with leading a formal review of the trilateral pact between the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. The centrepiece of that deal is Australia’s acquisition of a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines — initially three to five Virginia-class boats from the US — followed by a new SSN-AUKUS class built with Britain.
The appointment of Colby, who has long expressed doubts about the submarine plan, raises fresh questions about the political sustainability of AUKUS under a second Trump administration.
The grandson of former CIA director William Colby, Elbridge served five years across the Department of Defense, the State Department and the US intelligence community.
