I told my people to hire Joe Kent for a White House job, and they did so.
Evidence and Verdict
For
Multiple news reports state that Joe Kent was nominated by President Trump and later confirmed to serve as the administration's top counterterrorism official, a White House role. USA Today and other outlets quote Trump saying he nominated Kent in a Truth Social post, and AP and CNN reporting note that Kent was nominated early in the administration and was narrowly confirmed by the Senate. A CNN transcript also notes that the White House invited Kent to meet with senior White House officials, showing direct White House engagement.
Against
The sources describe a presidential nomination and a Senate confirmation rather than a simple unilateral "hire" by White House staff; the claim's phrasing "I told my people to hire Joe Kent" is an internal-action phrasing that the public reporting does not directly quote or document as a private instruction. Coverage also emphasizes controversy and narrow confirmation, which provides context that the appointment required formal Senate approval and was contested.
Verdict
News reports consistently show the president nominated Kent and the White House placed him in the counterterrorism post (with Senate confirmation), so the core claim that Trump directed his team and Kent was placed in a White House counterterrorism role is supported; phrasing about an internal instruction is plausible but not directly documented in the cited public accounts.
Sources
Joe Kent | AP News
Joe Kent | AP News - Apr 17, 2026
FILE - U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse speaks to the press in Yakima, Wash., Nov. 2, 2022. Newhouse, who is seeking a sixth term, will face off against Trump-endorsed candidate Jerrod Sessler along with Tif...
Open sourceTop counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigns over Trump's Iran war
Top counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigns over Trump's Iran war - Apr 17, 2026
Before joining Trump’s administration, Kent ran two unsuccessful campaigns for Congress in Washington state. As a Green Beret, he saw combat in 11 deployments before retiring to join the CIA. He al...
Open sourceTop US counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigns over Iran war
Top US counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigns over Iran war - Apr 17, 2026
Kent, a long-time Trump supporter who unsuccessfully ran for Congress twice, was nominated by the president early in his administration and narrowly confirmed to his post.
Open sourceJoe Kent, high-ranking US intel official, resigns over Iran war | CNN Politics
Joe Kent, high-ranking US intel official, resigns over Iran war | CNN Politics - Apr 17, 2026
Dana & Panel Joe Kent Resignation.jpg
Open sourceCNN.com - Transcripts
CNN.com - Transcripts - Apr 17, 2026
extremely notable to me that even in light of what you're saying, this is an administration who appointed Joe Kent despite the concerns that he was associating and playing footsy with neo-Nazis....
Open sourceJoe Kent quits as counterterrorism chief over Trump's war in Iran
Joe Kent quits as counterterrorism chief over Trump's war in Iran - Apr 17, 2026
When nominating Kent 13 months ago, Trump said in a Truth Social post that as “a Soldier, Green Beret, and CIA Officer, Joe has hunted down terrorists and criminals his entire adult life. … Joe wil...
Open source