Trump's Own Top Aide Could be his Worst Nightmare

Summary

Legal AF Podcast Summary

Episode Title: Trump's Own Top Aide Could be his Worst Nightmare
Date: March 20, 2026
Hosts: Michael Popok (Primary Host on this episode; regular co-hosts Ben Meiselas and Karen Friedman Agnifilo not present in transcript)
Network: MeidasTouch Network

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on escalating turmoil within the Trump administration, particularly the shock resignation of Joe Kent, Trump's Director of Counterterrorism, and the looming testimony of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. The conversation explores the legal and political fallout from these departures and revelations about the lead-up to the Iran war. Michael Popok analyzes the intersection of personal grievances, career maneuvering, and serious national security questions as Gabbard prepares to publicly testify—potentially in direct conflict with Trump’s official narrative.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Joe Kent’s Noisy Resignation (03:09–08:31)

• Background: Joe Kent, with a 20-year military career and CIA service, was appointed director of counterterrorism despite deep controversies, including election denialism and conspiracy theories.
• Resignation Letter: Kent condemned Trump’s justification for the Iran war, accusing him of “lying to the American people” and starting a war “due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
• Noteworthy: Kent’s resignation specifically critiques the use of intelligence and cites personal trauma—his wife’s death in a previous Middle East conflict—as compelling reasons for his stance.
• Popok's Commentary:
  • “Joe Kent was unqualified to be the director of counterterrorism, but that’s who Donald Trump picked and that’s who was confirmed by the Senate.” (04:19)
  • On Trump’s reaction: “I always love when Donald Trump says that somebody that he picked is now not very smart… he’s abandoned daddy.” (13:42)

Notable Exchange – Kent’s Confirmation Hearing (05:59–08:31)

• Key segment: Under Senate questioning, Kent supports conspiracy theories linking the FBI to the January 6th riot.
  • “We’ve already identified that there were multiple confidential human informants ran by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies that were present in the crowd that day, directing, removing barriers…” (06:36 – Joe Kent)
  • “Do you believe the IC conducts actions of this nature against Americans?” (07:45 – Committee)
  • “Unfortunately, this behavior does happen by members of law enforcement and the intelligence community… It’s incumbent upon us to make sure that we are transparent with the American people.” (07:52 – Kent)

2. Tulsi Gabbard’s Role and Impending Testimony (03:09–13:36)

• Position: Gabbard is now Director of National Intelligence, overseeing all 17 intelligence agencies.
• Relationship with Kent: Close allies, both skeptical of war with Iran and U.S. interventionism.
• Popok’s Analysis:
  • Trump “should be white knuckling” as Gabbard prepares to testify before Congress about the war, likely at odds with his narrative.
  • Gabbard’s career aspirations and political survival are at play.
  • “She does not believe Donald Trump had proper grounds to attack Iran first or should be at war with him at all. Yes, she’s trying to find a glide path at the end of this administration to have some sort of career.” (03:45 – Popok)

Tulsi Gabbard’s Pre-Administration Stance (10:16–11:53)

• Archival Clip: Gabbard, as a presidential candidate, repeatedly and forcefully opposed war with Iran.
  • “A war with Iran would be far more costly and far more devastating than anything that we experienced in Iraq.” (10:19 – Gabbard)
  • “President Trump campaigned against regime change wars when he ran for president. But now he bows to the wishes of the neocons who surround him…” (10:46 – Gabbard)
  • She advocated for the “No More Presidential Wars Act” to punish presidents who bypass Congress to start new conflicts.

3. Fault Lines in Trump’s Iran War Narrative (13:36–17:30)

• Popok’s Dissection:

  • Trump’s primary sources for Iran war justification were son-in-law Jared Kushner and real estate/crypto associate Steve Witkoff—neither with military/national security experience.
  • “No one in the intelligence community believed that Iran was going to strike first…” (14:08 – Popok)
  • On the war’s aftermath: bungled preparation for inevitable Iranian responses, especially the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz (vital to global oil flow).
  • “Either they thought the strait would not be blockaded and that’s professional malpractice, or they knew it was going to be blockaded and they didn’t do a darn thing about it…” (15:20 – Popok)
  • Popok predicts Gabbard will face questions about her video-recorded opposition to war and about leaks showing she would not have recommended the conflict from an intelligence perspective.

• Upcoming Testimony:

  • Tulsi Gabbard, John Ratcliffe (CIA director), and FBI Director Kash Patel expected to testify on the Iran war planning and intelligence failures.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Popok on Gabbard’s dilemma:
  “This is her payback time, folks. She got deep-sixed during the Venezuelan war… and now it’s her time to shine.” (03:31)
• Joe Kent’s blunt critique (as cited in his resignation):
  “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.” (08:01)
• Trump’s typical distancing response:
  “Joe Kent’s not very smart. And I’m sort of glad he did [resign]. I thought he was a good fellow, but I’m sort of glad he did.” (13:36 – paraphrased by Popok)
• On the administration’s lack of planning:
  “All the stuff you’re hearing about now… should have been done in the first day of the war, not day 20. Right after the blockade happened, you should have had warships ready…” (15:40 – Popok)

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Critical Timestamps

| MM:SS | Segment | |---------|------------------------------------------------| | 03:09 | Introduction to Trump’s real problem: Gabbard | | 05:59 | Joe Kent’s confirmation hearing | | 08:31 | Kent’s resignation letter content | | 10:16 | Archived Gabbard anti-Iran-war clip | | 13:36 | Popok on Trump’s reaction and deeper flaws | | 15:20 | Strait of Hormuz discussion | | 17:30 | Upcoming testimony preview |

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Tone & Style

• Direct, skeptical, and urgent
• Heavy with legal and political analysis, but conversational
• Popok’s delivery is energetic, incisive, sometimes sardonic

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Final Notes

• The episode sets up a dramatic congressional week with the Trump administration under legal and political siege from within.
• Gabbard’s testimony is depicted as a pivotal, high-risk junction—not just for Trump, but for the future of intelligence oversight and war powers.
• Listeners are encouraged to follow the coverage live and subscribe for ongoing legal analysis.

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For more in-depth documentation, court filings, and ad-free podcast versions, the hosts plug their Legal AF Substack and YouTube at the episode’s conclusion.

Transcript

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[Michael Popok]

No Donald Trump doesn't have a Joe Kent Problem Although Joe Kent noisily resigned this week from being Trump's director of counterterrorism and did so in a letter in which he accused Donald Trump of lying to the American people about the fact that Iran was imminently about to attack America as an excuse to fire first. Not so, says Joe Kent, one of the senior intelligence officers and directors for Donald Trump. That's not his problem. Donald Trump's problem is Tulsi Gabbard, who's on paper than the director of or the director of national intelligence for the United States. Seventeen different agencies report to her, including the CIA, and she's going to be testifying this week. The problem is she does not believe in the Iran war. She does not believe that Donald Trump had proper grounds to attack Iran first or should be at war with him at all. Yes, she's trying to find a glide path at the end of this administration to have some sort of career. And that should be a white knuckle moment for Donald Trump as Tulsi Gabbard gets sworn in this week before the House and the Senate and testifies about intelligence and the Iranian war. This is her payback time, folks. She got deep sixed during the Venezuelan War. Nowhere to be found on the stage with Donald Trump, even though it was in part an intelligence operation. Nowhere to be found when the Iranian war started. The last time we all saw Tulsi Gabbard, she was wearing a baseball cap and cosplay from the Christie gnome collection down in Georgia with her with her hat pulled low as they were pulling 600 boxes of voter data out of Fulton County, Georgia. And now it's her time to shine. I'm Michael Popo here on the Midas Touch Network and on Legal af. Let's talk about Joe Kemp, but let's really Talk about Tulsi Gabbard. And they are really good friends. Joe Kent was unqualified to be the director of counterterrorism, but that's who Donald Trump picked and that's who was confirmed by the Senate. Now, on paper, the first half of his career looks pretty good. 20 years in the military as a Green Beret. He was a CIA paramilitary officer. His wife was a cryptologist for the CIA who was killed in the Middle East. Scott, the bonafides. Except he's a tremendous election denier and conspiracy theorist. Friends with Nick Fuentes, the avowed white nationalist and the rest. In fact, he got into it with a former member of the military, Senator Mark Kelly, former Navy officer, during his confirmation process. Here's Joe Kent. Play the clip.

[Interviewer/Committee Member]

This concerns January 6th. Do you believe that the violence on January 6th was intentionally organized or directed?

[Joe Kent]

Still under investigation. We're looking into whether elements of the government could have enhanced the criminal acuity of some of the rioters that day.

[Interviewer/Committee Member]

So you've said on Twitter that the FBI and the intelligence community were involved in planning and directing the riot, is that correct?

[Joe Kent]

Sounds like something I said. Yeah.

[Interviewer/Committee Member]

And what evidence do you have for that claim?

[Joe Kent]

So we've already identified that there were multiple confidential human informants ran by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies that were present in the crowd that day, directing, removing barriers, those types of things. This has been investigated widely. We're continuing to look into it. The intelligence, I would say the FBI and other elements of the law enforcement apparatus attempted to suppress the fact that there was undercover confidential human informants that were part of these different groups. We also had intelligence leading up to January 6th that there was going to be violence that day. So that speaks to some degree of intelligence infiltration into some of these.

[Interviewer/Committee Member]

Who within? Who within the FBI?

[Joe Kent]

We're looking into that right now.

[Interviewer/Committee Member]

Which departments of the FBI?

[Joe Kent]

Probably the Washington Field office.

[Interviewer/Committee Member]

So you believe the Washington Field Office for it was involved in the planning of the violence in the building next door on January 6th?

[Joe Kent]

It's being looked into. I mean, look, we had.

[Interviewer/Committee Member]

And who is looking. Who is looking into it?

[Joe Kent]

That we are in the intelligence community? Yeah, we're looking into it right now.

[Interviewer/Committee Member]

And do you believe that the IC conducts actions of this nature against Americans?

[Joe Kent]

Does the ic, both the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, entrapping individuals? If you look at who was running the Washington field office during January 6th, it was Steven D'. Antoineau. He was also running the field office in Michigan where many of the defendants were let go after they were accused of attempting to kidnap the governor because the vast majority of them were undercover FBI confidential informants. So unfortunately, this behavior does happen by members of law enforcement and the intelligence community. And it's incumbent upon us to make sure that we are transparent with the American people.

[Interviewer/Committee Member]

Mr. Kent, would you be willing to share this evidence of this investigation with this committee?

[Joe Kent]

I look forward to it, Senator.

[Tulsi Gabbard (clip)]

All right.

[Michael Popok]

Now, Joe Kent, who again is friends with Tulsi Gabbard, said this in his letter of resignation, which he did not have to write. He could have just, just quit. He said, I decided to resign from my position as director of the National Counterterrorism center that reports to the Director of National Intelligence, who is Tulsi Gabbard. He said, 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. He talked about his own. His own service to the country in the military. He talked about the fact that in the first administration that Trump promised not to get drawn into a never ending series of wars. He also talked about the fact that his wife was killed overseas in a war that he says was also manufactured by Israel. I pray that you will reflect upon what you're doing and who you're doing it for and reverse course. You hold the cards. The rest. Now, Tulsi Gabbard shares the same view about Iran, or at least she did before she joined the administration. Here's Tulsi Gabbard when she was running for the presidency, whenever it came up as a debate topic. I think she's pretty clear that we should never go to war with Iran. Let's play the clip of Tulsi Gabbard before she became the Director of National Intelligence. Play the clip.

[Tulsi Gabbard (clip)]

The American people need to understand that this war with Iran would be far more devastating, far more costly than anything that we ever saw in Iraq. This is why it's so important that every one of us, every single American, stand up and say, no. War with Iran. A war with Iran would be far more costly and far more devastating than anything that we experienced in Iraq. War with Iran would make the war in Iraq look like a cakewalk. The neocon war hawks that surround President Trump have made no secret about what their intentions are to further this regime change effort, both in Venezuela as well as in Iran. President Trump campaigned against regime change wars when he ran for president. But now he bows to the wishes of the neocons who surround him. Clamoring for regime change wars that he claimed to oppose, this time in Venezuela and in Iran. This brings the United States closer than ever to war against Iran, which will be absolutely disastrous for our country, for Israel, for Iran, the Middle East, Europe and the world. I've introduced legislation to deal with some of these kinds of abuses called the no More Presidential Wars Act. And this legislation, this legislation would make it an imperial impeachable offense for any president to bypass Congress and to unilaterally go and start waging a war in another country.

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every step of the way. Now, when they approached Donald Trump about Joe Kent resigning, he said, in effect, Joe Kent's not very smart. And I'm sort of glad he did. I thought he was a good fellow, but I'm sort of glad he did. I always love when Donald Trump says that somebody that he picked is now not very smart. You know, like Jay Powell Federal Reserve chair or, or Joe Kent, because, you know, he's abandoned daddy. Now, there's some very serious charges that are being raised here by Joe Kent, particularly that Donald Trump lied to the American people when he said he based his decision based on his own instincts that they were going to fire first. What he really means is he relied on Jared Kushner, who's an inexperienced negotiator and his son in law and a guy by the name of Steve Witkoff, who is his cryptocurrency investment buddy, who also has no diplomatic, foreign policy, nuclear power or war strategy experience to, to decide whether they were about to strike first. No one in the intelligence community believed that Iran was going to strike first, especially after June when Donald Trump bombed a part of the nuclear program for Iran that they would not, having seen the lethality of that attack, they would not attack America. So what do we now know as Tulsi Gabbard goes in to testify effectively against Donald Trump, here's her chance, right? She let it out. I mean, it leaked. But things leak on purpose in the Trump administration that they are. That their intelligence assessment before they dropped the first bomb on February 28 was that Iran would not succumb. It would not lead to the fall of Iran, it would not lead to regime change even if they took out the Supreme Leader. And that the understandable reaction of the Iranians this time with a massive attack and a war, would be to go after the oil interests of the United States, wherever they may be, and to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. Now, Pete Hegseth says as the Defense Secretary, that they've always known about the Strait of Hormuz and they've always had a plan. Well, I don't understand what that plan is. Either they thought that, that the Strait would not be blockaded and therefore that's professional malpractice, or they knew it was going to be blockaded and they didn't do a darn thing about it because they did no preparation work. All the stuff you're hearing about now today, oh, we dropped bunker buster bombs on some of the weaponry around the strain of Hormuz that Iran uses. That should have been done in the first day of the war, not day 20. Right after the blockade happened, you should have had warships ready to create lanes on day one or day two, not try to fix it and blow up the blockade and try to get our allies to help with it on day 20. And this is going to be a white knuckle moment for Donald Trump when Tulsi Gabber takes the stand because he's already accused her in the past of trying to preserve her own political viability and maybe run for president one day. And we're going to see what's going to happen here. She's going to have to answer for those video clips where she said it would be unwise to challenge or go after Iran and, and the leaks that her own office sent out to make Donald Trump apparently look bad, which is she would not have recommended from the intelligence community standpoint, she would not have recommended that they go to war with Iran. And she would have had better planning around the likelihood of the blockade, which is, you know, 27% of oil goes through this shipping lane. The other people that will be testifying this week, we'll cover it on Midas. Touch it on Legal AF John Ratcliffe is the head of the CIA on paper, reports to Tulsi Gabbard, but sort of his own free agent as the top espionage agent or officer in America. And FBI Director Cash Patel, all talking about the Iran war. You know where to tune in for that. We'll be putting it up live on Legal AF YouTube on Midas. Touch YouTube. Take a moment, hit the subscribe button for Legal AF YouTube as well. As we continue to grow to get to 1.1 million subscribers with your help, no outside investors, we are completely independent. Now is the time to support Legal AF until my next report. I'm Michael Popak.

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