By Associated Press’s Stephen Groves
Washington (AP) As Republicans ignored his ties to right-wing radicals and his endorsement of conspiracy theories regarding the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, the Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s choice to head the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, on Wednesday night.
Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina was the sole Republican to vote against Kent, which was confirmed by a vote of 52–44. Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, had previously employed Kent. He will be in charge of an organization charged with assessing and identifying terrorist risks as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center.
He intends to use agency resources in the position to target gangs in Latin America and other migratory criminal organizations. At a time when Trump is using his presidential wartime powers to further his agenda, he is the most recent Trump supporter to be confirmed by the Senate to the highest levels of U.S. national security leadership.
During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee in April, Kent stated that President Trump is dedicated to finding these dangerous gang members and cartels and ensuring their removal from our nation.
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After two unsuccessful congressional bids in Washington state, a military career that included 11 Green Beret deployments, and service at the CIA, Kent takes up the chief position at the counterterrorism center. In 2019, a suicide bomber killed his first wife, a Navy cryptologist, when she was battling the Islamic State organization in Syria.
Democrats, however, fiercely fought his confirmation, citing his prior affiliations with conspiracy theorists and far-right figures. Graham Jorgensen, a member of the far-right military organization the Proud Boys, was compensated by Kent for consulting during his 2022 congressional race. He also garnered support from a number of far-right individuals and collaborated closely with Joey Gibson, the founder of the Christian nationalist organization Patriot Prayer.
During his Senate confirmation hearing, Kent also failed to disassociate himself from bogus assertions that Trump defeated Joe Biden in the 2020 election and a conspiracy theory that federal agents were somehow responsible for the attack at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Democrats questioned him about his involvement in a Signal group chat where Trump’s national security staff discussed classified military plans.
They also voiced serious concerns about a recent episode in which Kent, in his capacity as Gabbard’s chief of staff, instructed an intelligence analyst to update an evaluation of the connection between a transnational gang and the Venezuelan government. The changes backed up Trump’s claims that the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime provision, allowed for the removal of gang members.
Democrats claimed it demonstrated Kent’s unreliability in managing some of the most sensitive and significant intelligence in the country.
“Any counterterrorism director must be trusted to tell the truth and to uphold the core principles of the intelligence community: objectivity, nonpartisanship, and fidelity to fact,” said Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Warner continued, “Unfortunately, Mr. Kent has repeatedly demonstrated that he is unable to meet the standard.”
Republicans, meanwhile, have commended his counterterrorism credentials, citing his background in the military and intelligence.
In a floor speech, Sen. Tom Cotton, the Republican-led intelligence committee head, stated that Kent has devoted his professional life to combating terrorism and ensuring the safety of Americans.
