{{Short description|American politician and military officer}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Colby C. Jenkins | image = Colby C. Jenkins.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2025 | office = Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict | president = Donald Trump | term_start = January 20, 2025 | term_end = August 25, 2025 | predecessor = Christopher Maier | successor = Derrick Anderson | birth_date = | birth_name = Colby C. Jenkins | birth_place = Roosevelt, Utah, U.S. | party = Republican | allegiance = United States | branch = United States Army | service_years = 2000-2011 | rank = Colonel | unit = United States Army Special Forces }}
'''Colby Jenkins''' is an American official of the United States Department of Defense<ref>{{cite news |title= COLBY C. JENKINS |url= https://www.war.gov/About/Biographies/Biography/Article/4048594/colby-c-jenkins/ |work=United States Department of Defense |access-date=January 20, 2026 }}</ref> who served as acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict from January to August 2025.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Baldor |first1=Lolita |title= Pentagon official: US military has no authority to do drone strikes on drug cartels in Mexico |url= https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-drone-strikes-drug-cartels-mexico-33af0ea4c766335a3778454f86b3777b |work=AP News |language=en |date=April 8, 2025}}</ref> He was a candidate in the Republican primary for {{ushr|UT|2}} in 2024, narrowly losing to incumbent Celeste Maloy.<ref>{{cite news |last=McKellar|first=Katie |date=July 9, 2024 |title=Utah Rep. Celeste Maloy declares victory, but Colby Jenkins on track for a recount|url= https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2024/07/09/utah-rep-celeste-maloy-declares-victory-colby-jenkins-recount/|work=Utah News Dispatch |access-date=January 20, 2026 }}</ref>
== Early life and education == Jenkins was born and raised in Roosevelt, Utah. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy.<ref name="Jenkins">{{cite news |last=Gehrke|first=Robert |date=February 4, 2025 |title=Colby Jenkins joins Trump administration in Pentagon role|url= https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2025/02/04/colby-jenkins-joins-donald-trump/|work=The Salt Lake Tribune |access-date=January 21, 2026 }}</ref>
== Career == While serving in the Army for 11 years, Jenkins became a Green Beret. He went on to lead special forces teams in Afghanistan and South America.<ref name="Jenkins" />
Upon leaving active service, Jenkins joined the National Guard and began teaching at George Washington University. He later worked in the tech industry for Google.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Poonia |first1=Gitanjali |title= Former Utah congressional candidate takes on new role at the Pentagon |url= https://www.deseret.com/politics/2025/02/18/colby-jenkins-pentagon-new-role/ |access-date=January 20, 2026 |work=Deseret News |language=en |date=February 18, 2026}}</ref>
Jenkins challenged incumbent Republican U.S. Representative Celeste Maloy in the 2024 election for {{ushr|UT|2}}.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tomco |first1=Brigham |title= Sen. Rand Paul endorses Colby Jenkins in his run against Rep. Celeste Maloy |url= https://www.deseret.com/utah/2024/05/14/senator-rand-paul-endorses-colby-jenkins-in-utah-congressional-race/ |access-date=January 24, 2026 |work=Deseret News |language=en |date=May 14, 2024}}</ref> The race was so close that he requested a recount of the results. After the recount, it was confirmed that he lost to Maloy by 176 votes.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McKellar |first1=Katie |title= Rep. Celeste Maloy wins recount of Utah's 2nd Congressional District race by 176 votes |url= https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2024/08/05/rep-celeste-maloy-wins-recount-of-utahs-2nd-congressional-district-race-by-176-votes/ |access-date=January 24, 2026 |work=Utah News Dispatch |language=en |date=August 5, 2024}}</ref>
In January 2025, President Donald Trump appointed Jenkins as acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Forbis |first1=Kristin |title= Roosevelt Native Serving On Trump Administration Defense Team |url= https://www.basinnow.com/roosevelt-native-serving-on-trump-administration-defense-team/ |access-date=January 24, 2025 |work=Basin Now |language=en |date=February 19, 2025}}</ref> He left office on August 25, 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title= Department of Defense Key Officials |url= https://history.defense.gov/Portals/70/Documents/key_officials/KeyOfficials-2025-12-05.pdf |access-date=January 24, 2025 |work=United States Department of Defense |language=en |date=December 2025}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jenkins, Colby}} Category:Living people Category:People from Roosevelt, Utah Category:Utah Republicans Category:United States Military Academy alumni Category:United States Army officers Category:United States Department of Defense officials Category:Second Trump administration personnel Category:Year of birth missing (living people)