Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent endorsed GOP Senate primary challenger Mark Lynch, urging voters to remove incumbent Sen. Lindsey Graham. Kent criticized Graham as a "war hawk, neocon" and advocated for ending foreign entanglements. Trump has strongly endorsed Graham, calling Lynch a "lunatic" and "disaster."
This endorsement highlights internal divisions within the Republican party regarding foreign policy and the "America First" agenda, with a former national security official backing a challenger against a long-serving incumbent who has Trump's full support.
Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent has endorsed Mark Lynch, a challenger in the South Carolina U.S. Senate Republican primary, urging voters to oust incumbent Sen. Lindsey Graham. In a social media video, Kent described Graham as a "war hawk, neocon" and advocated for reducing foreign military spending and entanglements, particularly in the Middle East. Kent stated that Lynch is the "America First candidate" best positioned to defeat Graham. Graham's campaign, through press secretary Abby Zilch, responded by highlighting Trump's past negative comments about Kent and Lynch's support for Rep. Thomas Massie. Trump himself has strongly endorsed Graham, calling Lynch a "lunatic" and a "disaster" for the Republican Party in a Truth Social post. Graham also boasts endorsements from other prominent Republicans, including Gov. McMaster and Sen. Tim Scott. Kent previously resigned from his government position in March, citing his opposition to the Iran war, which he attributed to pressure from Israel and its American lobby. Trump had previously criticized Kent on Truth Social, calling him a "SLEAZEBAG" and a "LOSER."