US Senate approves Joe Kent as US counterterrorism chief: What to know
Kent’s nomination raised alarm among Democrats due to his history of promoting right-wing conspiracy theories and recent efforts to pressure a senior intelligence official to revise an assessment that contradicted Trump administration narratives.
WASHINGTON — The US Senate voted almost entirely along party lines on Wednesday night to approve President Donald Trump’s controversial pick to lead the nation’s top counterterrorism institution.
Joe Kent, a former US Army Ranger and Green Beret who served 11 combat tours before becoming a CIA paramilitary officer, was approved by lawmakers in a 52-44 vote late on Wednesday.
He will now lead the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), which coordinates among Washington’s 18 main intel agencies on combating terrorist activities, and operates under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Kent’s role overseeing the NCTC comes on the heels of two failed congressional bids for the state of Washington, in which he openly supported Trump following the failed Jan. 6 attempt to overturn the 2020 national election.
