Donald Trump’s nominee for a top U.S. defense role warned of escalating threats from North Korea’s nuclear weapons development and cooperation with China and Russia, while endorsing the need for South Korea to do more for its own defense. 

Elbridge Colby, the nominee for under secretary of defense for policy, delivered the assessment in a written response to questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee, ahead of his confirmation hearing on Tuesday. 

“A ‘counter coalition’ of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea has formed and become more cohesive in recent years. These states are supporting and enabling each other in