Joe Kent’s resignation over Iran war reignites antisemitism fears and debate over Israeli influence

Joseph Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, speaks during the House Committee on Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) 2026-03-19T05:58:40Z It was no surprise when Joe Kent showed up on Tucker Carlson’s podcast a day after quitting his counterterrorism job in President Donald Trump’s administration. Here was a top official who resigned to protest the war with Iran turning to right-wing media’s leading critic of the conflict. “The Israelis drove the decision to take this action,” Kent said in Wednesday’s interview. But before long, the conversation moved in a different direction as Kent nodded to conspiracy theories that pro-Israel forces were behind the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. “I’m saying there are unanswered questions,” Kent said. The conversation encapsulated two schisms within the Republican Party and the right-wing media system, both of which have reached high into the national security establishment of the Trump administration. There’s a foreign policy debate over the wisdom of Trump’s war with Iran and the future of United States’ longstanding alliance with Israel. But there also are fears that the focus on Israel is the leading edge of an antisemitic fringe that has gained ground by portraying Jews as shadowy manipulators, echoing some of history’s most hateful tropes. Tucker Carlson is playing a central role At the center of both issues is Carlson, a former Fox News host who remains influential among conservatives. He was previously denounced for hosting Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist and antisemite, on his podcast last year. During the interview, Fuentes complained about “organized Jewry in America.” On Wednesday, Carlson was sharply critical about Israel, saying “its lobbying in the United States pressured the president.” Matt Brooks, president of the Republican Jewish Coalition , described Kent’s appearance on Carlson’s podcast as “part of an on

原文链接: AP News