'Tricks Up Our Sleeves': White House Downplays Kent Exit, Signals Secret Plan to Break Iran’s Hormuz Blockade

United States: The White House on Wednesday moved to control the fallout after Joe Kent, a top US counterterrorism official backed down over the Iran war, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt asserting he played no role in key decisions and reiterated President Donald Trump’s trust in intelligence leadership. She also indicated that the US has a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying the military has “tricks up their sleeve” to deal with Iran’s blockade.   

Leavitt stated Kent “was not involved in any discussions on the Iran operation,” pushing back against the gravity of his resignation, which sparked debate over the intelligence behind the conflict and possible internal divisions. Despite the issue, she reaffirmed Trump's "full confidence" in Tulsi Gabbard.

White House Rejects Kent’s Claims

Kent announced his resignation on Tuesday, saying he could not “in good conscience” support the ongoing conflict. He asserted in his letter that "Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation" and that "pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby" was the driving force behind the conflict.

The White House has strongly rejected these claims. Leavitt stated, “There are many false claims in this letter, but let me address one specifically: that 'Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation.”

She continued, "This is the same false claim that Democrats and some in the liberal media have been repeating over and over."

Trump had "strong and compelling evidence," according to Leavitt, that Iran was getting ready to attack the US.

‘Trump Would Never Act in a Vacuum’

Leavitt defended the strike decision by citing a variety of intelligence sources. 

“This evidence was compiled from many sources and factors,” she said, adding that “President Trump would never make the decision to deploy military assets against a foreign adversary in a vacuum.”

She accused Iran of "proudly killing Americans," called it the "world's leading state sponsor of terrorism," and made repeated threats against the United States. Leavitt added that Iran has been developing its short-range ballistic missile program and planned to utilize it for defense while pursuing nuclear weapons.

“The regime aimed to use those ballistic missiles as a shield to continue achieving their ultimate goal – nuclear weapons,” she said. According to her, Trump believed that working jointly with Israel would “greatly reduce the risk to American lives.”

US Signals Plan to Reopen Strait of Hormuz

Amid growing tensions, Leavitt also indicated that the US has a strategy to deal with Iran’s move to block the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route. She claimed the US military has “tricks up their sleeve” when it comes to reopening the passage.

“The United States military has a lot of capabilities, as you have seen play out over the last 18 days. They still do have tricks up their sleeve,” Leavitt said. “I won't broadcast them for the media, but rest assured there is a plan,” she added.

She added that while the US plans its own strategy, Trump will keep pressuring allies to assist in reestablishing movement through the Strait. Following Iran's closure of the restricted route, which transports roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply from the Persian Gulf to international markets, oil prices have skyrocketed.

Trump Attacks Kent; Questions Over Intelligence Grow

A day earlier, Trump had publicly criticised Kent, calling him “weak on security” and saying his exit was “a good thing.” “I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security,” Trump said.
“I realized that it’s a good thing that he’s out.” He added that those who believe Iran is not a threat are not people “we don’t want.”

Leavitt also dismissed Kent as “not up for the job.” “We don't want somebody leading the counterterrorism task force who cannot agree that the number one state sponsor of terror in this world did not pose a threat to the United States,” she said.

When asked whether Gabbard’s position was at risk following Kent’s resignation, Leavitt said, “Not to my knowledge… I havent heard the president say that.”