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Joe Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, is renewing his push for President Donald Trump to remove American military personnel from the Middle East amid the ongoing tensions with Iran. Kent’s latest commentary comes after Trump announced he would postpone planned military strikes against Iran following what the president characterized as requests from Iran and other regional powers to hold off on attacks.
In his statement, Kent praised Trump’s decision to cancel the strikes, saying it aligns with the president’s apparent desire to exit the conflict. Kent contended that military force cannot sustainably reopen the Strait of Hormuz without risking a prolonged, large-scale war—an approach the United States has already attempted without success.
Kent argued the administration should seize the moment to withdraw troops from the region while declaring that the administration’s stated goal of preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons has been achieved. He suggested using the prospect of sanctions relief as leverage to negotiate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after American forces are no longer in the theater, asserting that continued military presence risks an uncontrollable cycle of retaliation.
Trump indicated Saturday on Truth Social that military action was being suspended based on Iran’s purported request and agreement on deal parameters that would include the complete opening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear program. Trump stated he would cancel the attack to pursue a deal and credited Israel with joining him in the decision.
Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency disputed Trump’s account, denying it had requested a halt to American strikes and characterizing the president’s claims as false, according to reporting by the BBC and NPR. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday that negotiations would commence the following afternoon.
Kent cited his opposition to military action against Iran when he departed from his counterterrorism role earlier this year. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Kent’s remarks.
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