Trump Resurrects 2020 Joe Kent Tweet Supporting Iran Strikes Amid Resignation Controversy
President Donald Trump has reposted a six-year-old message from outgoing counterterrorism chief Joe Kent on his Truth Social platform, in which Kent argued forcefully for military action against Iran. This move represents a direct attempt by the president to firefight the political storm surrounding Kent's sensational resignation on Tuesday.
Kent's 2020 Message Advocating Aggressive Action
The tweet, originally sent to Trump on January 8, 2020, shortly after the president ordered the assassination of Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani, contained stark language about Iran's military capabilities. Kent wrote: "We should not sit and wait for the next attack, wipe Iran's ballistic capability out and get our troops out of Iraq – they are only targets now."
He continued with a pointed assessment: "No WIA/KIA [wounded in action/killed in action] is a tribute to the professionalism of our military and intel professionals not Iranian restraint." Trump's decision to repost this message comes as direct counter-programming to Kent's scathing resignation letter, which vehemently opposed the joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran that commenced on February 28.
Scathing Resignation Letter Accuses Deception
Kent, a former Green Beret and CIA operator whose first wife was killed in an ISIS bombing campaign in Syria, delivered a blistering critique in his open resignation letter to the president. He stated unequivocally: "I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby."
The former counterterrorism director elaborated on what he described as a coordinated campaign: "Early in this administration, high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war with Iran."
Kent accused this "echo chamber" of deceiving Trump into believing Iran presented an imminent threat with a clear path to swift victory. He drew direct parallels to previous conflicts: "This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women. We cannot make this mistake again."
White House Response and MAGA Fractures
When questioned about Kent during an Oval Office meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin on St Patrick's Day, Trump offered a mixed assessment. The president called Kent a "nice guy" but added: "I always thought he was weak on security... When I read his statement, I realized that it's a good thing that he's out."
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a more comprehensive rebuttal on social media platform X, asserting that Kent's letter contained "many false claims" and insisting the president possessed "strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first."
Meanwhile, Kent's resignation has exposed significant fractures within the MAGA movement. Influential conservative figures including Marjorie Taylor Greene and Candace Owens have hailed Kent as a hero and patriot. Several prominent MAGA-aligned podcasters have pointed to his departure as evidence of growing division over the Iran conflict.
Conservative Voices Express Growing Discontent
Timcast host Tim Dillon declared that the president's coalition is "shattered" and stated: "Trump can say 'I AM MAGA' all he wants, and it may be true, but lost support means MAGA is meaningless."
Shawn Ryan offered a more measured perspective: "Sometimes the most impactful statement you can make is a strong resignation. It's unfortunate it's come down to this. God's speed Joe Kent I hope this wakes some people up."
This discontent predated Kent's resignation. Trump supporter Carrie Prejean Boller told Piers Morgan Uncensored on Monday: "MAGA is dead. It is deader than dead. And Americans are furious. We do not recognize President Donald J Trump anymore."
Intelligence Community Fallout Continues
The resignation's repercussions extend to the intelligence community. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Kent's former superior, is scheduled to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday. She faces the challenging task of defending a war she has previously criticized, having described potential conflict with Iran as "stupid and costly."
Trump's decision to repost Kent's 2020 tweet represents a strategic attempt to reframe the narrative around the resignation. By highlighting Kent's previous hawkish stance on Iran, the president seeks to undermine the credibility of his former counterterrorism chief's current anti-war position. This episode reveals deepening divisions within conservative circles about foreign policy direction and the administration's approach to Middle Eastern conflicts.
