Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent argued Thursday that President Donald Trump was close to reaching what he described as a stronger agreement with Iran before the recent conflict escalated into war.
In a post shared on X, Kent claimed Trump had been positioned to negotiate a deal that would have been more effective than the Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal.
“Before the war with Iran began, President Trump was actually very close to reaching a better agreement than the JCPOA,” Kent wrote.
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Kent argued that Iranian leaders viewed Trump differently than former President Barack Obama because of Trump’s aggressive approach toward Iran during his first administration.
“The Iranians feared and respected Trump in a way they never respected Obama,” Kent stated. “Trump ordered the strike that killed Qasem Soleimani but also avoided getting trapped in another long-term Middle East conflict that would ultimately benefit Iran’s hardline factions.
Kent continued by claiming that after Trump returned to office in January 2025, Iranian-backed proxy groups stopped attacking American forces and negotiations quickly reopened.
“That’s why, once Trump returned to office, Iran’s proxy attacks stopped and the regime became willing to negotiate,” he added.
Kent resigned from his counterterrorism role in March because of his opposition to the Iran conflict. In his latest comments, he argued Trump still has time to change direction regarding the situation.
“President Trump can still correct course,” Kent wrote. “The United States needs to step away from the current military standoff, restrain Israeli escalation and use sanctions relief as leverage to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and negotiate a new nuclear agreement.
Fox News Digital later requested comment from the White House regarding Kent’s statements. White House spokesman Davis Ingle strongly criticized Kent’s remarks in response.
“Joe Kent’s resignation letter and recent comments contain numerous false claims,” Ingle said. “Most concerning is his suggestion that Iran did not pose a serious threat to the United States and the claim that Israel somehow forced President Trump into launching Operation Epic Fury.”
Ingle defended the administration’s actions, saying Trump acted based on intelligence indicating Iran posed an immediate threat to American personnel and interests.
“As commander in chief, President Trump took decisive action to protect Americans,” Ingle stated. “His highest priority has always been the safety and security of the American people.”
During testimony Thursday before the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Central Command Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said Iran and its proxy groups had attacked American service members and diplomats approximately 350 times during the 30 months leading up to Operation Epic Fury.
However, Kent disputed that interpretation in another social media post, arguing most attacks occurred during the Biden administration rather than after Trump returned to office in 2025.
Iran’s proxies attacked U.S. troops and diplomats under Biden, not under the current Trump administration before Epic Fury,” Kent claimed. “When Trump returned to office, those attacks stopped because Iran understood Trump would respond forcefully and because they wanted a deal.”
Kent also accused Israel of pushing the United States toward military conflict with Iran in order to prevent negotiations from succeeding.
“A deal was being developed, and that agreement would have prevented Israel’s goal of pulling America into war with Iran,” Kent wrote. “That’s why they pushed so hard for military escalation.”
Kent concluded by arguing that Trump’s maximum pressure strategy had initially been successful but was ultimately undermined by escalating regional tensions and outside influence over U.S. decision-making.
