“Good thing he’s out”: Donald Trump slams aide Joe Kent after Iran war exit

Donald Trump on Tuesday welcomed the resignation of counterterrorism official Joe Kent over the Iran war, calling it a “good thing” and criticising him as “very weak on security” after he assessed that Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States.

Trump said he had always considered Kent a “nice guy” but disagreed with his judgment. “When I read his statement, I realized that it’s a good thing that he’s out because he said that Iran was not a threat,” he said, adding that while many countries recognise Iran as a threat, the real question is whether they are willing to act.

‘Iranian regime is evil’
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Kent’s resignation letter contained “false claims,” particularly the assertion that Iran posed no immediate danger. She maintained that Trump had “strong and compelling evidence” that Iran was preparing to strike first.

Calling Iran the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, Leavitt said the “Iranian regime is evil,” accusing it of killing Americans, waging conflict against the US, and issuing threats up to the launch of Operation Epic Fury.

Commander-in-chief’s call
Leavitt stressed that only the US president, as commander-in-chief, has the authority to determine what constitutes a threat, arguing that the decision to deploy military force is constitutionally vested in that office. She also dismissed claims that Trump’s actions were influenced by other countries, saying he has consistently opposed Iran acquiring nuclear weapons for decades.