A former counterterrorism official who abandoned his post during the Iran conflict is now lecturing President Donald Trump on how to claim victory - by restraining Israel, America's strongest ally in the Middle East.
Joe Kent, former Director of the Counterterrorism Center who quit over his opposition to the Iran war, argues that Trump can only declare victory once he has "restrained Israel" from pursuing its national security objectives against the Iranian regime.
According to Fox News Politics, Kent claims the U.S. and Israel have "drastically different goals" and must act accordingly. This comes after Trump delivered a major speech outlining America's path forward in the region.
"He says the President's speech was to show the U.S. can declare a victory whenever it wants. However, he argues that with Israel pushing for 'indefinite commitment' in the Iran war... either Trump restrains the Israelis, or, well..."
Kent's comments reveal the deep state mentality that has plagued American foreign policy for decades - the arrogant belief that unelected bureaucrats know better than both the President and our democratic allies about national security.
Social media users are already pushing back against this narrative. Posts circulating on X highlight how "attacks on Iran's coastline and islands have increased" following Trump's speech, with oil prices climbing to $108 per barrel as tensions escalate.
What Kent fails to understand is that Trump's "America First" approach doesn't mean abandoning our allies when they face existential threats from terrorist regimes. Israel has every right to defend itself against Iran's nuclear ambitions and proxy terror networks.
The real question patriots should be asking: Why is a former official who quit during wartime now trying to drive a wedge between America and Israel? And why are we giving platform to someone who walked away from his duty when the going got tough?
Trump has proven he can end conflicts while maintaining American strength and supporting our allies. He doesn't need advice from deep state quitters on how to achieve victory.