Dem Rep. Himes: Kent ‘Plays Into’ ‘Antisemitic Tropes’, But ‘Have to Hold Him Up’ for Resigning on Principle

On Tuesday’s broadcast of “CNN News Central,” House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) said that former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Joe Kent’s resignation letter “plays into traditional antisemitic tropes of the Jews controlling this or that or controlling the media.” But “I do have to hold him up as a guy who — and this is extremely rare in the Trump administration — as a guy who is willing to resign because of his principles.”

After Himes said that he didn’t know if Kent’s claims about Israel getting the U.S. into Operation Epic Fury were true, co-host Brianna Keilar asked, “Kent says — again, I just want to ask you this, he says the Israelis drew the U.S. into the Iraq War. Do you believe that?”

Himes answered, “Look, I — again, I just — I have no way of knowing what the prime minister said to the president.”

Keilar then cut in to say that “this is about what’s in the resignation letter. And I don’t know if you read the whole letter before you tweeted supporting that he stood on principle.”

Himes responded that he did read the letter.

Keilar then asked, “I guess I’m asking, do you believe that this is completely legitimate beef, or do you think, perhaps, there is a lens through which to see some of Kent’s objections differently because of how vehemently anti-Israel he is? Because his critics actually say that this is or borders on being antisemitic, some of this, especially considering he has associated, repeatedly, with white nationalists and has had to disavow those associations while running for office or under scrutiny for an appointment. How do you see it?”

Himes answered, “Yeah, look, I’m not your guy to comment on Joe Kent. I’ve been in a room with him two or three times. And I’m aware of his background. But let me say two things that I do know to be true: Number one, I know where the Israeli prime minister has been on the subject of Iran for a very, very long time. He’s expressed his views on Iran and the necessity to take on Iran very, very clearly to lots and lots of people, including me. Number two, and I would say this to your point, I think you have to tread extremely careful. And I read Joe Kent’s letter very, very, very closely. You need to tread very, very carefully in the words you use, because, sadly, Joe Kent’s language plays into traditional antisemitic tropes of the Jews controlling this or that or controlling the media. And at a time when synagogues are being attacked, when there is a massive upwelling of antisemitism, I think you should be a great deal more precise than Joe Kent was in his letter.”

Keilar then asked, “Are Democrats in danger of lauding someone’s sort of opinion here that, perhaps, they may not want to fully associate with?”

Himes responded, “Well, I can only speak for this Democrat, and you can reread my tweet if you want. Again, I had my differences with Joe Kent, many differences with Joe Kent, but I do have to hold him up as a guy who — and this is extremely rare in the Trump administration — as a guy who is willing to resign because of his principles. I don’t see that anywhere in this administration otherwise. I don’t, frankly, see it much in the Congress of the United States. So don’t take my admiration for his resigning as a matter of principle as an endorsement of anything else that Joe Kent believes. But principle matters.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett