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Colby Orders Classified Review Expanding Trump’s Nuclear Options

By Drooid · Oct 2, 2026, 3:56 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby announced a classified review to broaden President Donald Trump’s nuclear employment options.
Colby said the United States would consider nuclear weapons only in extreme circumstances.
He made the remarks at a closed Senate Armed Services hearing on Sept. 17.
Independent journalist Ken Klippenstein reported the testimony as non-hypothetical, prompting journalist Mehdi Hasan’s furious reaction.

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Story summary

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby announced a classified review to broaden President Donald Trump’s nuclear employment options.
Colby said the United States would consider nuclear weapons only in extreme circumstances.
He made the remarks at a closed Senate Armed Services hearing on Sept. 17.
Independent journalist Ken Klippenstein reported the testimony as non-hypothetical, prompting journalist Mehdi Hasan’s furious reaction.