President Donald Trump once led an insurgent takeover of the Republican Party. Now, a prominent group of dissident figures from his own "Make America Great Again" movement is looking to use that exact same playbook to challenge the administration's military intervention in Iran. Leading this charge is Joe Kent, a former high-ranking administration official who resigned in protest of the conflict and is now actively exploring how to transform widespread anti-war sentiment on the right into a structured political force. Kent argues that Trump has led the MAGA movement astray by engaging in the war, suggesting that conservative critics of the conflict could "hijack" the GOP just as Trump once did.
The growing backlash highlights a brewing ideological civil war within the Republican base, where some non-interventionist conservatives feel the conflict directly violates Trump’s long-standing campaign promises to avoid foreign military entanglements. To coordinate their response, Kent recently convened with other prominent MAGA figures who oppose the war. The gathering took place last month at the Maine residence of conservative media commentator Tucker Carlson. Among those in attendance were Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky and former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who resigned from Congress earlier this year and has publicly declared she no longer supports the Republican Party. Following the meeting, Greene signaled the start of their effort by posting a photo online with the caption, "the movement has begun."
While the depth of the Republican electorate's appetite for an internal reckoning over Iran remains uncertain, signs of friction are emerging. A recent AP-NORC poll indicated that while a majority of Republicans continue to support Trump regarding the conflict, that backing has begun to erode. Kent believes the political fallout will be long-lasting, potentially shaping not only the upcoming 2026 midterm elections but also carrying over into the 2028 presidential race. Currently, the unpopularity of the war appears to be weighing on Trump’s political standing, with his job approval rating sitting at just 39% in the Real Clear Politics average of recent polls, threatening the Republican Party’s hold on Congress.
Kent's own departure from the administration was a significant blow to its foreign policy apparatus. He had joined the Trump administration last year as the director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center. An Army veteran and a close ally of former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard—another prominent veteran championing MAGA non-interventionism—Kent was initially drawn to Trump because of his America First foreign policy platform. However, his tenure ended abruptly when he resigned on March 17, less than three weeks after the war with Iran commenced.
In a deeply personal resignation letter, Kent cited his extensive military background, which included 11 combat deployments, and the loss of his wife, a Navy service member killed by a suicide bomber in Syria. Kent informed the president that he could not support sending another generation of Americans to fight and die in a conflict that he argued offered no benefit to the public and did not justify the loss of American lives. To date, the war has claimed the lives of 18 U.S. service members, and reports have surfaced of deteriorating troop morale and poor living conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. Kent maintained that there is no military solution to the conflict, asserting that if one existed, the president would have already executed it.
The White House has aggressively dismissed Kent's criticisms. Administration spokesman Davis Ingle issued a statement labeling Kent a "quitter" and defending the military campaign. Ingle argued that Trump has successfully dismantled nearly all of Iran's military capabilities and is severely damaging its economy through what he described as the most powerful naval blockade in world history. Trump himself also dismissed his former counterterrorism director, telling reporters after the resignation that while he had always considered Kent a nice guy, he believed he was "very weak on security, very weak on security."
Despite the pushback, the anti-war coalition is looking ahead to future election cycles. Kent, Carlson, Massie, and Greene have maintained regular contact via phone calls and text messages as the war approaches its six-month mark. During their meeting in Maine, the group discussed several potential paths forward, including the creation of a new political party. While both Carlson and Greene have expressed interest in backing a third-party movement, Kent noted that the logistical hurdles are immense. He revealed that he had consulted with individuals involved in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s 2024 independent presidential campaign, who detailed the extreme financial costs and administrative difficulties of securing ballot access in all 50 states.
Consequently, Kent views the "Trump model" of taking over the existing Republican infrastructure as a more viable strategy. Another alternative he floated was utilizing an established third party, such as the Libertarian Party, to unite voters who favor focusing on domestic needs over foreign wars. However, executing any of these strategies would require rallying behind a single anti-war candidate, a role that none of the attendees in Maine were willing to take on. Kent joked that the group essentially played a game of "not it" when discussing potential candidates. Carlson gave a definitive "no," Greene ruled out a run during a recent interview with Politico, and Kent stated he has no plans to run again after losing two congressional races in Washington state to Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. Kent's previous campaigns were marked by controversy, including a 2022 Associated Press report detailing his connections to right-wing extremists, which Democrats later used to oppose his nomination to the National Counterterrorism Center.
Looking toward the 2028 presidential primary, Kent suggested that the anti-war movement could force a "reset" of the Republican Party's foreign policy. He pointed out that Vice President JD Vance, a likely candidate for the 2028 nomination, could face a severe credibility crisis. According to Kent, Vance will struggle to appeal to the 77 million voters who backed Trump but may feel betrayed by an administration that initiated a new foreign war despite campaigning on non-intervention.
The dissident movement has also faced intense blowback over its rhetoric, particularly regarding Israel. In his resignation letter, Kent alleged that the war was initiated due to pressure from Israel and its lobby, accusing Israeli officials and media of running a misinformation campaign to undermine the America First platform. These remarks drew sharp condemnation from Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who accused Kent of "virulent anti-Semitism." Kent has rejected the characterization, insisting his criticisms are strictly directed at the actions of the Israeli government and its influence on American foreign policy, regardless of religion.
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