What to know in regards to the resignation of Joe Kent, counterterrorism chief and Trump loyalist

[ad_1] A high safety official in US President Donald Trump's administration resigned over the conflict in Iran on Tuesday, saying the nation had posed no imminent menace to the US.

Joe Kent, who headed the Nationwide Counterterrorism Middle, is the primary senior official in Trump's administration to resign over the battle, now in its third week.

"I can not in good conscience assist the continued conflict in Iran. Iran posed no imminent menace to our nation, and it's clear that we began this conflict as a consequence of stress from Israel and its highly effective American foyer," Kent wrote in a letter posted to social media.

Beforehand Kent had been a staunch supporter of Trump by his 2020 election defeat, the January 6 riots and years of conservative media advocacy and failed congressional bids.

The 45-year-old particular forces fight veteran with ties to right-wing extremists was thought of as a lot of a loyalist as Trump might have within the authorities's high counterterrorism put up.

Kent has beforehand echoed a conspiracy idea that federal brokers had one way or the other instigated the January 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol, in addition to false claims that Trump received the 2020 election over President Joe Biden. He’s additionally known as for defunding the FBI after the search at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence for categorized paperwork.

This is what to learn about Kent's departure:

Proper-wing ties In his resignation letter to Trump, Kent stated that “high-ranking Israeli officers and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation marketing campaign ... to encourage a conflict with Iran".

His reference to Israel and claims about Jewish Individuals' political affect spotlight Kent's earlier ties to antisemitism and right-wing extremism.

Kent has acknowledged ties with widespread right-wing, anti-semitic influencer Nick Fuentes, and he paid Graham Jorgensen, a member of the far-right navy group the Proud Boys, for consulting work in 2022. He additionally labored carefully with Joey Gibson, the founding father of the Christian nationalist group Patriot Prayer, and attracted assist from a wide range of far-right figures.

Kent later disavowed a few of his right-wing ties and stated he rejected all “racism and bigotry".

Learn extra Dwell: Iranian intelligence minister Khatib killed in a single day, says Israel

'America First' Kent has lengthy been identified for his "America First" beliefs and has stated he opposes US navy interventions overseas.

A former Inexperienced Beret, Kent was deployed to 11 fight missions, principally in Iraq, throughout 20 years within the military.

After his retirement in 2018, he grew to become a paramilitary officer with the CIA and served as a counterterrorism adviser to Trump’s 2020 presidential re-election marketing campaign. He was an everyday on conservative cable exhibits and podcasts earlier than and through his 2022 and 2024 congressional bids.

Kent's first spouse, Shannon Smith, was a Navy cryptologist killed by a suicide bomber in 2019 whereas combating the Islamic State group in Syria.

After Smith's loss of life, Kent spoke out in opposition to US intervention world wide.

“That's the reason I've a scepticism of our federal authorities,” he stated of his spouse's loss of life, including that she died as a result of “Republicans and Democrats persistently lied to the American folks to maintain us engaged in wars overseas.”

A political turnaround Kent is shut with Director of Nationwide Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, whose workplace oversaw Kent’s work. Gabbard wrote in a social media put up Tuesday that it was as much as Trump to determine whether or not Iran posed a menace.

"After fastidiously reviewing all the data earlier than him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent menace and he took motion primarily based on that conclusion," Gabbard stated.

Trump was effusive when he nominated Kent to guide the Nationwide Counterterrorism Middle in February 2025.

“Joe will assist us maintain America protected by eradicating all terrorism, from the jihadists across the World, to the cartels in our yard,” Trump stated on social media.

Final 12 months, Kent pushed intelligence analysts to transform an evaluation on Tren De Aragua, a Venezuelan gang, that didn't assist the White Home's argument that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was directing its operations.

The administration had portrayed the gang as a safety menace to justify its immigration crackdown.

The announcement of Kent's resignation on Tuesday got here as a shock, one US official stated.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters and AP)

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What to know in regards to the resignation of Joe Kent, counterterrorism chief and Trump loyalist

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