Since Joe Kent stepped down as counterterrorism chief from the Trump administration, he has sparked one dispute after another in MAGA social media, much to the Trump administration's chagrin.
Kent resigned as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center under Trump, saying that Israel "dragged" the US into the war with Iran - a claim that led to a massive backlash against the Trump administration over the Iran war from a section of the MAGA community.
With that controversy still raging, Kent seems to have picked another war with the Trump administration: this time over the death of Charlie Kirk, the TPUSA founder, killed in a shooting at Utah Valley University in September 2025.
22-year-old Tyler Robinson was convicted of the shooting by the FBI and confessed to killing Charlie Kirk on his first court appearance in Provo, Utah. With his trial still underway, Kent has now claimed that he is going to testify there, challenging the narrative that Robinson was the lone shooter.
Notably, despite Tyler Robinson's confession, social media influencers like Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly and others allege that Charlie Kirk's death was part of a larger conspiracy and that Tyler Robinson did not act alone. Kent's comments about testifying in the Tyler Robinson case and questioning the lone shooter theory have sparked a buzz, especially given that he was the counter terrorism chief in the current Trump administration.
{{/usCountry}}Notably, despite Tyler Robinson's confession, social media influencers like Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly and others allege that Charlie Kirk's death was part of a larger conspiracy and that Tyler Robinson did not act alone. Kent's comments about testifying in the Tyler Robinson case and questioning the lone shooter theory have sparked a buzz, especially given that he was the counter terrorism chief in the current Trump administration.
{{/usCountry}}Also read: Candace Owens' husband had 'black eye'? Alleged George Farmer photos spark buzz
What Joe Kent Said About Testifying
Joe Kent spoke about testifying in the Charlie Kirk murder trial of Tyler Robinson in an interview with Michael Shellenberger. After the interview, Shellenberger posted a write-up.
"Joe Kent says he is skeptical that Tyler Robinson, who confessed to killing Charlie Kirk, was the lone shooter," Shellenberger wrote. "That accusation could undermine the prosecutors’ case against Robinson." Kent says he knew of the risk before he decided to speak out."
“The FBI was pretty forceful in saying we couldn’t investigate further,” Kent was quoted as saying in Shellenberger's write-up.
Also read: Charlie Kirk murder suspect Tyler Robinson dressed up in formals, appears calm in US court | Video
TPUSA In Meltdown Mode
Andrew Kolvet and Blake Neff , the hosts of The Charlie Kirk Show, reacted to Joe Kent's comments saying that Kent is "obsessed with conspiracy theories."
“Some people are so obsessed with these same conspiracies that they concoct for every other thing that ever happens!" Neff said. "And so they have to shove it into this one too, because they care more about their conspiracy theories than about the person who murdered my friend facing justice. I am fed up with it!”
Kovlet added: “Yeah, and you should be. And this is, I mean, this is a tough job for us today, to be honest, because this is really personal.”
Joe Kent Under Investigation Over Leak Row
CBS News recently reported that the FBI is investigating Joe Kent for alleged leaks of classified information. The outlet cited sources in the Trump administration familiar with the matter, though an official confirmation from the FBI is still pending.
The probe, typically handled by the FBI's Counterintelligence Division, began before Kent resigned this week in protest over the US war with Iran, the sources said.