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Former CIA paramilitary officer Joe Kent — who has said members of the Movement for Black Lives should be treated as terrorists, peddled conspiracy theories about the January 6 insurrection, and once earned the endorsement of white supremacist Nick Fuentes — will be leading the National Counterterrorism Center.
On July 30, the Senate confirmed Kent in a 52 to 44 vote largely along party lines, although one Republican voted against his confirmation, Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and four Democrats did not vote — Senators Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona), Mark Kelly (D-Arizona), Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Michigan.)
Kent has most recently served as acting chief of staff for Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. He’s railed against Black Lives Matter protesters and “Antifa,” saying that the federal government, the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service should “go after them like organized criminals and terrorists.”
“So, when we start arresting these guys and charging them with federal terrorism charges, that’s going to take away a lot of the incentive to go out and riot,” he said.
A resident of Washington State, Kent ran two unsuccessful bids to represent Washington’s third congressional district. His campaigns are most notable for revealing his associations with racists and antisemites.
Kent consulted with white supremacist livestreamer Nick Fuentes on his social media strategy, although he later repudiated Fuentes’ endorsement. Fuentes claimed that Kent told him, “I love what you’re doing.” Kent denied making the comment.
Last year, blogger and Nazi sympathizer Greyson Arnold posted a photo with Kent and others to Instagram with the caption, “Great night tonight with amazing WA candidates! #AmericaFirst is unstoppable!” Arnold has said Adolph Hitler was “a complicated historical figure which many people misunderstand.” Kent’s campaign said they did not support his views.
The Associated Press reported that Kent paid Graham Jorgensen, a member of the white supremacist group the Proud Boys, over $10,000 for consulting work on his 2022 campaign.
Kent has promoted debunked conspiracy theories that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and that the government instigated the violence on January 6. During his confirmation hearing, he said that “the intelligence community” was “looking into” if the FBI Washington Field Office was involved in planning the violence on January 6.
Lawmakers and civil rights advocates fought his confirmation, but like Kent’s congressional campaigns, were ultimately unsuccessful.
“Republicans just voted to confirm Joe Kent, a conspiracy theorist with white supremacist views, to be in charge of counterterrorism,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington) posted on Instagram. “We had all the evidence we’d ever need to know he’s not competent or going to do the right thing. Republicans will own this vote and Kent’s record.”
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