The Jimmy Dore Show: Whitney Webb – What They're NOT Telling You About Joe Kent!

Date: March 30, 2026
Host: Jimmy Dore
Guests: Whitney Webb, Misty Winston, Derek Broze, Vince Vaughn (satirical), Ben Shapiro (audio clips)
Episode Theme:
A deep dive into skepticism surrounding "former" intelligence professionals entering right-wing politics (specifically Joe Kent), the manipulation of the domestic terror narrative in the U.S., and sharp criticism of U.S. foreign policy, endless war, and media propaganda (focusing especially on Ben Shapiro’s shifting Iran War rhetoric).

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the suspicion surrounding ex-intelligence officer Joe Kent’s political emergence and the broader manipulation of domestic terror narratives against right-populists. Whitney Webb voices concern about government and media tactics that label dissenters “domestic terrorists,” with discussion flowing into the bipartisan advance of the "war on domestic terror." The episode also features critical commentary and analysis of Ben Shapiro’s hawkish, shifting positions regarding the ongoing U.S.-Iran war, highlighting the role of media narrative managers.

Key Highlights & Discussion Points

1. Whitney Webb on Joe Kent & Intelligence Manipulation

[00:38-08:54]

• Joe Kent’s Background:
  • Whitney Webb expresses skepticism about Joe Kent, a former intelligence officer turned right-wing populist candidate, cautioning that ex-spooks often appear suddenly echoing what the public wants to hear.
    • Quote:
      “I think people should be careful in trusting former, quote-unquote, former spooks who come out of nowhere and are saying what you want to hear right away... I would advise vigilance and critical thinking.” (Whitney Webb, [00:42])
• Potential Long Game / Psyop:
  • Webb theorizes that national security establishments might be “engineering the demographic” of the new domestic terrorist by cultivating right-populist leaders who eventually justify further surveillance and crackdowns.
  • Quote:
    “So basically, if you have Trump officials that are...claiming right-leaning anti-Semites are domestic terrorists that need to be targeted...and then you have people like Joe Kent coming out...you can have the Trump administration swoop in...to try and sort of engineer this problem.” (Whitney Webb, [04:54])
• Warning to the Audience:
  • Webb admits she’s still developing this theory, urges vigilance, and criticizes unquestioned acceptance of government-narrative figures:
    • Quote:
      “I just find it potentially worrisome…people should critically think and be vigilant and watch what the guy does and see what happens. Maybe it’s genuine...” (Whitney Webb, [08:07])

2. Manipulating the War on Domestic Terror

[08:54-12:40]

• Surveillance Turned Inward:
  • Webb connects post-9/11 surveillance apparatus with plans to retool these tools against domestic “subversives”—specifically gun-owning, right-leaning critics.
• Palantir & COG:
  • She mentions the modern expansion of Palantir and “continuity of government” (COG) protocols, warning these could target political dissent as terrorism.
  • Quote:
    “They have been planning for 25 years to direct that same [national security] infrastructure back home on the war on domestic terror...e.g., Palantir…to label people as subversive or potentially terrorist.” (Whitney Webb, [10:09])

3. Foreign Policy, Populism, and Political Flip-Flops

[09:13-13:33]

• Jimmy Dore Highlights Politician Hypocrisy:
  • Uses Tulsi Gabbard’s anti-war credibility as a touchstone for skepticism about newcomers like Joe Kent, reflecting on the ongoing flip-flops by Trump and others.
• Webb’s Takeaway:
  • Encourages local engagement and divesting from Big Tech as means of resistance.

4. Ben Shapiro and Narrative Management on the Iran War

[32:02-56:56]

• Shapiro's War Rhetoric Evolution:
  • Clips show Shapiro shifting from promising a brief war to preparing audiences for a protracted, costly conflict.
    • Quote: (on U.S. military losses and endurance for war):
      “If necessary, military activity can only be pursued at zero cost, there’s no use in having a military... there is no way to extricate ourselves from this situation right now.” (Ben Shapiro, [33:32])
• Hostility to Dissent:
  • Dore and guests denounce Shapiro’s dismissiveness about dead Americans and his insulation from war’s consequences.
    • Misty Winston:
      “He’s insulated from this...it’s going to be our sons and daughters...They are fine with sending you to die for Israel.” ([41:27])
• Goal of Endless War:
  • Webb (2011 quote):
    “The goal is not to completely subjugate Afghanistan. The goal is to use Afghanistan to wash money...the goal is to have an endless war, not a successful war.” ([39:18])
• Shapiro’s Shifting Goalposts (Timeline):
  • Promised a “three minute flat” knock out of Iranian positions ([Feb 12, 2026]),
  • March: “not going to last probably more than another two weeks”
  • Late March: “buckle up for the long run”, normalizes decade-long quagmires ([51:44])
  • Dore team exposes these contradictions and labels Shapiro a propagandist.

5. Broader Political Disillusionment and Calls for Grassroots Action

[15:21–30:20, 27:52–32:02]

• Discussion at CPAC:
  • Derek Broze and Misty Winston reflect on the conformity demanded by both left and right parties and the persistent “false hope” cycle voters endure.
    • “Both sides expect you to have loyalty and to not be a critical thinker...You got to back the candidate, whether it’s Biden, whether it’s Trump...” (Derek, [21:12])
• Grassroots Solutions:
  • Broze promotes “Activation Tour,” local organizing, and divestment from big tech, emphasizing independence from political saviors.
    • “If people are really against what’s happening, please consider not using and being completely dependent on big tech products if you want to fight.” (Whitney Webb, [14:05])

Notable Quotes

• Whitney Webb:
  • “I worry that some of the so-called MAGA civil war…is being engineered to lead people into a very inconvenient for them categorization by…these surveillance engines.” ([10:09])
  • “Those kind of psyops are happening all the time. So why wouldn’t they be happening now?” ([08:07])
• Jimmy Dore:
  • “[Tulsi Gabbard’s] flip-flop now makes me, wow, now I’m going to be super… skeptical of Joe Kent.” ([09:13])
• Misty Winston:
  • “He’s just so blasé about it…they are fine with sending you to die for Israel.” ([41:27])
  • “You can’t vote your way out of this…a lot more people seem to understand that now.” ([24:08])
• Derek Broze:
  • “It expects people to give up any principles that they might hold…if they just care about their own political career and not the principles…” ([22:20])
• Ben Shapiro (clips):
  • “The point of a military is to do hard and dangerous things…that’s why our military members are heroes.” ([33:32])
  • “There is no way to extricate ourselves from this situation right now.” ([33:32])
  • “We are less than two weeks into the war and it’s not going to last probably more than another two weeks.” ([cited from March 11, [51:44]])
  • “Buckle up for the long run.” ([cited from March 27, [51:44]])

Key Timestamps

• 00:38: Whitney Webb's initial take on Joe Kent and “former” spooks
• 01:49–06:47: Webb’s theory tying domestic terror infrastructure to the engineering of right-wing opposition
• 09:13: Jimmy Dore on Tulsi Gabbard as a credibility reference point
• 10:09–12:40: Domestic war on terror, Palantir, COG
• 32:02–39:15: Misty Winston frames the segment on Ben Shapiro’s propaganda shifts
• 33:32–36:41: Shapiro: justifies endless war, dismisses U.S. casualties, economic fallout as worth it
• 39:18: Whitney Webb’s (2011) quote on endless war as the U.S.'s true goal
• 51:44: Winston catalogues Shapiro’s shifting timelines and exposes narrative manipulation

Tone & Language

• Cynical, Subversive, Analytical:
  The show’s hosts and guests maintain sharp, irreverent, and frequently outraged tones, lacing deep skepticism with sarcasm and righteous anger.
• Accessible though Detailed:
  The discussion is rich with explanation—hosts clarify for listeners less familiar with deep-state thinking or anti-imperialist analysis.

Conclusion & Takeaways

• Vigilance Above All:
  Be skeptical of establishment media and politicians—left, right, intelligence, or populist.
• Domestic “Terror” Policy Is a Moving Target:
  The U.S. security state is repurposing its external infrastructure for internal suppression of dissent, seeking narratives that justify targeting new groups.
• Media War Narrative Managers:
  Figures like Ben Shapiro actively move the goalposts to serve war and the interests behind it; tracking their contradictions is essential.
• Don’t Wait for Saviors—Organize Locally:
  All hosts and guests stress grassroots efforts, local involvement, and partial tech divestment as more meaningful responses than electoral politics.
• Endless War Serves the Few:
  War abroad (and increasingly at home) serves transnational interests, not public well-being—“Endless war, not a successful war.”
• Remain Patient—but Radical:
  Remain patient with the newly disillusioned, but uncompromising on rejecting war and surveillance state logic.

For anyone seeking an honest breakdown of the anti-war left and right-populist skepticism in the age of domestic and foreign psyops, this is essential listening—or reading.