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What A Day

MAGA Meltdown Over Trump’s War

What A Day

What A Day

News, Daily News

4.612.6K Ratings

🗓️ 18 March 2026

⏱️ 29 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Joe Kent – someone you’ve probably never heard of – made huge news on Tuesday. He was the director of the National Counterterrorism Center – until he posted a resignation letter on Twitter. In it, Kent wrote directly to President Trump: “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.” This is the first major defection from the administration over the war – and it might not be the last. For more on Kent’s letter and what it means for the MAGA Right, we spoke with Jonathan Lemire. He’s a staff writer at The Atlantic and co-host of Morning Joe on MSNOW.

And in headlines, the SAVE America Act is creating real problems for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Chief Justice John Roberts speaks out against targeting judges, and FBI Director Kash Patel hosts his own version of a meet and greet at Quantico.

Show Notes:

Transcript

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0:00.0

It's Wednesday, March 18th.

0:05.5

I'm Jane Koston, and this is What Today?

0:07.5

The show that is learning something new every day from Republicans like Pennsylvania Senator Dave McCormick.

0:13.0

Here he is on Fox News Tuesday.

0:15.3

I mean, you have to have voter ID or you have to have an ID to get a six-pack.

0:19.8

You have to have it to give blood.

0:21.5

You have to have it to have a child. You have to have it to get married. This is a common sense thing. I don't think actually

0:26.9

that you need to provide ID to have a child. On today's show, President Donald Trump's beloved Save America Act is creating real problems for Senate Majority Leader John Thune.

0:51.1

And FBI director Cash Patel is taking his rock star lifestyle to the next level with

0:55.0

his own version of a meet-and-greet at Quantico, which doesn't vote incredibly well for the future

1:00.5

of the FBI. But let's start with how the Iran War is dividing the Trump administration.

1:06.1

Joe Kent, someone you've probably never heard of made huge news on Tuesday.

1:16.7

He was the director of the National Counterterrorism Center until he posted a resignation letter on Twitter.

1:19.8

In it, Kent wrote directly to President Trump, quote,

1:23.6

I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran.

1:28.1

Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby. Kent, a veteran and former CIA officer,

1:33.9

was nominated to his role by President Trump in February of 2025, probably in part because he

1:39.6

is a massive Trump supporter. But according to Trump on Tuesday, he barely knew who Joe Kent was.

1:45.4

Your director of national counterterrorism, Joe Kent, he just resigned today. He said he can't

1:50.7

support your conflict with Iran. What's your reaction to that? And did you talk? Well, I read his

1:55.4

statement. I always thought he was a nice guy, but I always thought he was weak on security,

1:59.9

very weak on security. I didn't know him well, but I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security. I didn't know him well,

...

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