Joe Kent: Deploying US troops on Kharg Island would be ‘disaster’
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The former director of the National Counterterrorism Center warned President Trump that deploying U.S. troops to Kharg Island would be a disaster.
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Joe Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, is publicly warning President Trump against deploying U.S. troops to Kharg Island, calling such an operation a "disaster." Kent's warning suggests internal or external pressure may exist within counterterrorism circles regarding potential military action against Iran-controlled territory in the Persian Gulf. Kharg Island is a strategically significant Iranian oil and gas facility, and a U.S. military deployment there would represent a major escalation in Middle East tensions. Kent's concerns likely center on the operational and geopolitical risks of such an invasion, including potential Iranian retaliation and broader regional destabilization. The statement indicates debate within the Trump administration or among its national security advisors over the feasibility and wisdom of direct military action against Iranian assets.
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What to know about the resignation of Joe Kent as Trump’s counterterrorism chief - AP News
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National SecurityTrump mulls risky Kharg Island takeover to force Iran to open strait
<p>The Trump administration is considering plans to occupy or blockade Iran's Kharg Island to pressure Iran to reopen the <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/19/strait-hormuz-coalition-allies-statement-uk" target="_blank">Strait of Hormuz</a>, four sources with knowledge of the issue tell Axios.</p><p><strong>Why it matters:</strong> President Trump can't end the war, at least on his terms, until he breaks <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/13/iran-war-mines-strait-of-hormuz" target="_blank">Iran's chokehold</a> on shipping through the strait. In the meantime, global <a href="https://www.axios.com/energy-climate/oil-companies" target="_blank">energy</a> prices are surging.</p><hr><ul><li>But an operation to take over Kharg Island, which sits 15 miles offshore and processes 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, could put U.S. troops more directly in the line of fire.</li><li>Thus, such an operation would only be launched after the U.S. military further degrades Iran's military capa...
National SecurityTop counterterrorism official Kent resigns over Trump's Iran war, says Iran posed no imminent threat - AP News
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National SecurityMiddle East crisis live: Trump reportedly considering plans to occupy or blockade Iran’s Kharg Island - The Guardian
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National SecurityTrump mulls risky Kharg Island takeover to force Iran to open strait - Axios
PoliticsJoe Kent's resignation over Iran war reignites antisemitism fears and debate over Israeli influence - PBS
Pentagon Officials Weigh Deployment of Airborne Troops for Iran War
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