Undersecretary Nominees May Face Extra GOP Scrutiny

President Donald Trump's pair of nominees for national security positions are likely to face extra scrutiny because of policy views or statements that they have made that are at odds with those of several GOP senators, according to Republicans.

The nominees, Elbridge Colby, for Defense Undersecretary for Policy, and Darren Beattie, for Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy, are lesser-known names than other controversial nominees such as Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard or Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which could bring about extra scrutiny, reports The Hill.

A Republican senator, requesting anonymity to discuss the skepticism about Colby and Beattie, commented that he thinks Gabbard or Kennedy, although "flawed," will have enough strong people around them to keep them from causing harm.

But with nominees like Colby and Beatty and others "who may be less on people's radar, who will be able to facilitate things, that's where I think it can be dangerous," the senator said. "I'm going to be looking at them more critically."

Colby has advocated that the United States cut back on its military presence in the Middle East and Europe to focus instead on the threat posed by China in the Indo-Pacific region, which Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker, R-Miss., told Congressional Quarterly concerns "a number of senators."

The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations has written a letter to Wicker and Sen. Jack Reed, the Armed Services panel's top Democrat, to voice their concerns about Colby's views on the U.S. military in the Middle East and the country's policy Iran.

The group called senators to press Colby on a range of topics, and Reed told The Hill that several of his GOP colleagues have "serious questions" about the nominee.

"I had a chance to speak with him, and he has made it very clear in the last few years in writing that he feels there should be a dramatic shift to Asia and minimal involvement elsewhere, and that raises a lot of strategic questions," said Reed.

Some Republicans on the Armed Services Committee have met with Colby but said they are withholding judgment on him until his confirmation hearing, which is not yet scheduled.

"I have sat down with him," Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, commented. "We had a really great discussion. I've worked with him on projects in the past. I hope he does well before our committee."

Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., also said he had a "very good discussion" with Colby but he will "wait and see" about voting for him.

Meanwhile, Beatty, currently serving as the State Department's acting undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs, is being criticized for statements and social media posts attacking Republican senators.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has also criticized his posts and said he has "no place in a role representing American values abroad" as he has "participated in several conversations and events organized by notorious racists, antisemites, and white supremacists and has continuously promoted an array of conspiracy theories."

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