Now-former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent appeared on Tucker Carlson’s podcast just two days after resigning from and blasting the Trump administration on his way out. On Carlson's podcast, Kent spent over two hours spreading misinformation, fueling confusion surrounding Operation Epic Fury, and confusion about the death of conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk.
Kent reiterated many of the claims he made in his letter of resignation, including that Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States and that Israel was the main driver behind the launch of Operation Epic Fury.
However, like in his letter, Kent failed to provide any evidence to support his claims. He actually argued that a lack of evidence was simply evidence of his claims.
Joe Kent tells Tucker Carlson that President Trump’s administration misled the world about Iran being an imminent threat.
— Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) March 18, 2026
Kent says the real imminent threat came from Israel, which he claims was planning to strike Iran first, putting U.S. soldiers in harm’s way.
He says this… pic.twitter.com/iAGXU3ADD4
Joe Kent and Tucker spin out a "dark" theory that Trump went to war with Iran because he's "under threat" by Israel, which could've been behind his 2024 assassination attempt, and also Charlie Kirk's death. That, to them, is more plausible than Trump having any agency whatsoever pic.twitter.com/dsB57lbOBG
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) March 19, 2026
Tucker: "Was Iran about to get a nuke?"
— Ounka (@OunkaOnX) March 19, 2026
Kent: "No. They've had a religious ruling against it since 2004. We had no intelligence that it was being disobeyed."
So the entire war-the thousands dead, the billions spent, the American soldiers buried-was based on nothing. No nukes.… pic.twitter.com/PTPekWqz83
Kent even added to speculation about Charlie Kirk's death, implying that there may be more to the story.
Tucker Carlson gets visibly upset as Joe Kent explains to him that the Counterterrorism Center had more leads to investigate foreign ties to Charlie Kirk's assassination, but were shut down from pursuing them. pic.twitter.com/0IU0jEC2cY
— Zach Costello (@ZachCostello_) March 19, 2026
Kent went on to claim that Charlie Kirk had been on his side regarding the war with Iran, but observers were quick to point out that Charlie’s remarks were actually about Operation Midnight Hammer. As such, they shouldn’t be taken at face value, or interpreted as evidence that Charlie wouldn't support Operation Epic Fury.
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While Charlie may have been against the forever wars of the last 25 years, that does not mean he would have been against the current campaign in Iran. Why? For the simple reason that it is not another Iraq War.
Charlie Kirk on the night we bombed Iran last June:
— Natalie Jean Beisner (@NJBeisner) March 1, 2026
“And you might say, ‘Charlie, do you support or oppose this?’ I support President Trump. That’s my answer. I know the man…He’s the man for the hour…So in a situation like this, I support my friend. And he’s had my back, and… pic.twitter.com/Q3E47kpLHw
KENT: “The last time I saw Charlie Kirk on this earth was in June, in the West Wing… He said, ‘Joe, stop us from getting into a war with Iran.’” pic.twitter.com/Giljurd3R2
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 19, 2026
Listen you human pieces of garbage and anyone else here in the comments who wants to get this straight.
— James Lindsay, anti-Communist (@ConceptualJames) March 19, 2026
First off, this isn't news. You're spreading salacious horseshit from propagandists, and we all know you're doing it on purpose and with malicious intent. That's nasty. Nasty,…
Many have accused Kent of quickly moving from his brief role in the Trump administration to the world of podcasting, where political commentators can make wild, conspiratorial claims without evidence and speculate on global events as a career.
Pay attention to the strategically vague wording Joe uses.
— Bren (@bren45000) March 19, 2026
“We were stopped … there was more to investigate … there was linkage … I can’t get into it …”
That’s not insight. That’s smoke.
The National Counterterrorism Center doesn’t investigate murders. The second this… pic.twitter.com/oz7NP0KGsR
The career shift allegedly came after Kent learned he was under investigation by the FBI for leaking classified information.
SCOOP:
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) March 19, 2026
White House source tells me @joekent16jan19 resigned once he got word that he was going to be under investigation for leaking classified information. It has now been reported that Joe Kent is under FBI investigation for allegedly leaking classified information.
As I… pic.twitter.com/fjJFtMp0T9
