In a significant move, the Senate gave its approval to President Donald Trumpโs nominee, Joe Kent, to lead the National Counterterrorism Center. This decision unfolded on Wednesday evening, despite Kentโs controversial past involvement with far-right groups and conspiracy theories surrounding the January 6th Capitol riot. The confirmation concluded with a 52-44 vote, with only Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina dissenting. Prior to this role, Kent worked under Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. As he steps into the leadership position at the National Counterterrorism Center, Kent will be responsible for supervising the agencyโs efforts in identifying and analyzing terrorist threats.
Kent has expressed his intention to focus agency resources on tackling criminal organizations linked to migration and gangs from Latin America. His confirmation marks another victory for Trumpโs allies within top national security roles, during a period when Trump appears to be leveraging his presidential powers for broader goals. During the Senate Intelligence Committee hearings in April, Kent emphasized Trumpโs commitment to dismantling violent gangs and cartels, ensuring their expulsion from the U.S.
Having experienced a colorful career path, Kent previously ran unwuccessful campaigns for Congress in Washington state and served 11 tours as a Green Beret before transitioning to a role with the CIA. His drive partly stems from personal tragedy, as his first wife, a Navy cryptologist, was tragically killed by a suicide bomber in Syria while combatting the Islamic State in 2019.
Kentโs nomination met strong opposition from Democrats, who criticized his links to extreme right groups and his endorsement of conspiracy theories. Notably, his 2022 congressional campaign included hiring Graham Jorgensen from the Proud Boys for consulting and closely collaborating with Joey Gibson, founder of the Christian nationalist group Patriot Prayer. His ties with various far-right figures have been highly contentious.
During his Senate confirmation questioning, Kent did not distance himself from claims that federal agents incited the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, nor from the debunked narrative that Trump was the actual winner of the 2020 presidential election. His involvement in a group chat on Signal โ purportedly used by Trumpโs national security staff for sensitive discussions โ further fueled concerns among Democrats. Moreover, they highlighted an incident involving Kent as Gabbardโs chief of staff, where he purportedly instructed an intelligence analyst to alter an assessment about Venezuelan government connections with a transnational gang. These changes seemingly backed Trumpโs stance of deporting gang members under the Alien Enemies Act.
Sen. Mark Warner from Virginia, the leading Democrat of the Senate Intelligence Committee, voiced the necessity for any counterterrorism director to be honest and uphold the foundational intelligence community principles of objectivity, nonpartisanship, and truthfulness. โUnfortunately, Mr. Kent has shown time and again that he cannot meet the standard,โ Warner stated.
Despite Democratic reservations, Republicans praised Kent for his expertise in counterterrorism, citing his extensive military and intelligence background as pertinent qualifications. In a floor speech, GOP intelligence committee chair Sen. Tom Cotton lauded Kent, asserting, โHe has dedicated his career to fighting terrorism and keeping Americans safe.โ