Joe Kent, a former Trump administration official, appeared on Mark Levin’s radio show to deny allegations of leaking classified information. But the conversation quickly turned into a heated argument about who pushed President Trump toward the ongoing war in Iran.
Kent was firm when Levin pressed him on the leaking accusations. He told Levin he “never leaked any classified information,” and suggested the stories about him being investigated were a “media counter-narrative” from other leakers. He also said he had not been contacted by the FBI or the Department of Justice.
However, multiple anonymous sources, described as current or former senior Trump administration officials, told the Washington Examiner they had no doubt Kent was leaking sensitive intel, a direct contradiction to his claims.
Kent’s resignation over Iran reveals a growing split inside the MAGA movement
Kent had resigned as director of the National Counterterrorism Center the week before, citing President Trump’s actions in Iran. He believed Iran “posed no imminent threat” to the U.S. In a letter to the president, Kent wrote: “I pray that you will reflect upon what we are doing in Iran, and who we are doing it for. The time for bold action is now. You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos. You hold the cards.”
President Trump responded by calling Kent “weak” and made a personal jab, questioning Kent for remarrying “fairly quickly” after his wife, a U.S. Navy intelligence officer, was killed in Syria. The Iran conflict has also brought serious economic concerns, and Trump’s ultimatum over the Strait of Hormuz shows just how high the stakes have become.
On Levin’s show, Kent accused Levin, a known hawk on Iran, of lobbying President Trump to start the war. Kent pointed out that U.S. negotiations with Iran, initially focused on preventing nuclear weapons, were derailed when the U.S. and Israel began bombing the country on February 28.
He claimed that “through official engagements, through the Israelis and then also the media echo chamber,” the narrative shifted toward regime change in Iran. Levin cut Kent off, leading to a fiery back-and-forth. “What about the media echo chamber your buddies, who didn’t want regime change in Iran?” Levin shot back. “There’s a lot of echo chambers out there, wouldn’t you say?”
Kent replied, “It appears that your media echo chamber was much more successful.” Levin denied it, yelling, “No, it wasn’t. I never lobbied the president.” He added, “Hey, hey! Pay attention to me! I never lobbied the president. You guys keep putting that crap out there.”
Levin said he met with President Trump once, at Trump’s request. When critics accused him of lobbying the White House, Trump reportedly laughed and said, “Mark. I know where you stand. I watch your show on Saturday and Sunday. Anything I say here …”
Kent then cut in, suggesting, “You can lobby him on your show.” Levin fired back, “Oh come on, brother, you’re not, you’re sounding almost ridiculous now.” This kind of public infighting mirrors other bold moves from the Trump administration, such as Trump’s controversial plan to take over Cuba, which has also drawn strong international pushback.
Published: Mar 24, 2026 03:30 pm