Joe Kent saw the war coming. As the National Counterterrorism Center director, he spent over a year trying to convince President Trump that Iran was not an imminent threat. On Breaking Points, Kent explained his resignation: a closed circle of Israeli officials and advisors systematically shifted the U.S. red line from opposing a nuclear weapon to opposing any enrichment, a move designed to block diplomacy and push for regime change. The only imminent threat, Kent argued, was an Israeli attack that forced America’s hand.
That forced hand is now demanding more. Prime Minister Netanyahu stated publicly that a revolution in Iran “can’t be done from the air” and requires a U.S. ground component. According to analysis on Breaking Points, this call for escalation comes as the U.S. strategy falters. Initial assessments overestimated both Iran’s restraint in the Strait of Hormuz and the strength of internal anti-regime forces.
With airstrikes proving insufficient, the conflict has entered a dangerous new phase. U.S. attack jets and helicopters are already engaging Iranian naval assets to reopen the critical oil chokepoint. Reporting indicates the administration is considering plans to occupy Iranian territory, with Marines being rushed to the region.
Meanwhile, Trump is weaponizing the war abroad. On the No Agenda Show, clips revealed him using the conflict as a loyalty test for NATO, openly questioning the alliance's future after European leaders refused support. He trolled Japanese journalists by asking why Japan didn’t warn America about Pearl Harbor, framing it as a parallel to U.S. secrecy before the strike.
The path ahead is laid with traps. As Krystal Ball noted on Breaking Points, the only way for Trump to end the war now would be to walk away while making significant concessions - a politically untenable position. The administration’s playbook is clear: escalate militarily while isolating reluctant allies and rewarding unconditional support.
Joe Kent, Breaking Points:
- I truly believe that the Israelis forced our hand in this.
- The only thing that was imminent about the operations in Iran was the fact that the Israelis were going to attack.
