Donald Trump’s rise to power was defined by an insurgent takeover of the Republican Party, a strategy that now serves as a blueprint for a group of MAGA dissidents seeking to challenge his administration’s stance on the war in Iran. Among those leading this internal opposition is Joe Kent, who resigned from his position as director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center on March 17—less than three weeks after the conflict began.
Kent, an Army veteran who lost his wife to a suicide bomber while she served with the Navy in Syria, has become a vocal critic of the administration’s foreign policy. In his resignation letter, he argued that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbyists, claiming that foreign officials and media members deployed a misinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” agenda. While Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, condemned the letter as containing “virulent anti-Semitism,” Kent maintains his focus is purely on national sovereignty, stating he does not want foreign entities dictating U.S. foreign policy.
The growing backlash against the war has brought together a coalition of prominent figures, including Rep. Thomas Massie, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, and media personality Tucker Carlson. The group recently met at Carlson’s home in Maine to discuss the future of their movement. Following the gathering, Greene posted a photo on social media with the caption, “the movement has begun.”
Kent described the meeting as an effort to consolidate political energy among those who feel the president has strayed from his campaign promises to avoid foreign military entanglements. “We know that we have something here in terms of political energy,” Kent said. “We know that people are frustrated.” Despite the enthusiasm, he acknowledged that the coalition is still in its early stages and requires further development to define its goals.
The political stakes are significant as the unpopular war continues to cast a shadow over the 2026 midterm elections. With Trump’s approval rating at 39%, the administration faces pressure to maintain control of Congress. Although a recent AP-NORC survey indicates that most Republicans still support the president on the conflict, that backing has shown signs of decline. Trump has struggled to secure a definitive end to the fighting, as a peace deal announced in June collapsed amid disputes over the Strait of Hormuz.
The White House has dismissed the dissenters, with spokesman Davis Ingle labeling Kent a “quitter” and asserting that the president has successfully neutralized much of Iran’s military and economic capacity. Trump himself has publicly criticized Kent, telling reporters that while he once considered him a nice guy, he found him “weak on security.”
As for the future of their movement, the dissidents are debating whether to form a third party or attempt to “hijack” the GOP from within. Kent expressed skepticism about the viability of a third-party independent lane, noting the immense difficulty of ballot access. Instead, he suggested that the “Trump model” of reshaping the party remains a more realistic path, or perhaps utilizing an existing organization like the Libertarian Party.
However, the group has yet to identify a candidate to lead this charge. Kent noted that during their meeting, everyone liked the idea of a third party, but when it came to leadership, the participants were quick to decline. “We all kind of did the ‘One, two, three, not it,'” Kent said. Both Carlson and Greene have ruled out running for office, and Kent, having lost two congressional races in Washington state, has stated he is finished with his own candidacy.
Looking toward the 2028 presidential primary, Kent suggested that the movement might focus on resetting the Republican Party’s foreign policy. While Vice President JD Vance is a likely contender and has expressed skepticism regarding military intervention, Kent remains wary of the transition. “It’s going to be hard to go to the 77 million voters who voted for Trump who are probably going to be mad and feel a certain degree of betrayal,” Kent said. For now, the dissidents remain in a period of strategic planning, searching for a way to channel their anti-war platform into a lasting political force. The report also notes that now one prominent MAGA dissident believes conservative critics of the Iran war could use the same playbook. The report also notes that he said in an interview, war critics could take a lesson from the president and “hijack” the GOP. The report also notes that it’s unclear how deep the appetite is for a GOP reckoning on Iran. The report also notes that in his resignation letter, Kent wrote about his 11 combat deployments and losing his wife, who was killed by a suicide bomber while serving with the Navy in Syria. The report also notes that he told Trump he opposed sending “the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives.” There have been 18 U.S. The report also notes that service members killed in the war, and concerns about troop morale amid complaints about living conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln. The report also notes that five months after resigning, Kent is continuing to press his case publicly while taking tentative steps to organize politically. The report also notes that he said that the president is too focused on a formal peace deal and should simply walk away.
