Trump's former counterterror boss pushes disturbing Iranian propaganda with false claim US tried to kill stranded airman

By STEPHEN M. LEPORE, US SENIOR REPORTER Published: 03:11, 7 April 2026 | Updated: 03:11, 7 April 2026 Donald Trump's former counterintelligence official has been feuding with Jake Tapper after the CNN star slammed him for sharing false information about the Iran War. Just hours before the US staged a daring military operation to rescue an Air Force colonel, ex-National Counterterrorism Center chief Joe Kent shared a story suggesting the US was trying to kill him. Kent sensationally resigned several weeks ago, saying in his resignation letter that Iran posed no imminent threat and the war was driven by pressure from Israel. He posted a story from the left-wing Drop Site News alleging the Pentagon 'lost hope' of rescuing the unidentified airman and instead was going to kill him before Iran could capture him.  Tapper quote-tweeted Kent's post after the rescue writing that he was 'sharing Iranian state-linked outlet nonsense claiming, falsely, that the US was trying to kill the then-lost US pilot. Aged rather poorly, I think it's fair to say.' Kent - an Iraq War veteran whose wife was killed on active duty - didn't take kindly to Tapper's criticism and slammed him as a war propagandist. 'Tapper's purpose, like the entire corporate media, is to promote this foolish war and attack anyone who points out how this war isn't in our nation's interest,' he wrote. He encouraged his followers to instead 'read independent media, Iranian media & US media - always question those cheering on wars & always pray for our troops.'  Donald Trump's former counterintelligence official has been feuding with Jake Tapper after the CNN star slammed him for sharing false information about the Iran War Tapper quote-tweeted Kent's post after the rescue writing that he was 'sharing Iranian state-linked outlet nonsense' Tapper shot back: 'Anyone who watches the coverage on The Lead/State of the Union knows I don't "promote" the war. We cover it, critically.' 'Moreover, I wasn't attacking Mr. Kent. I pointed out that he had promoted false information suggesting the US was seeking to *kill* the missing US pilot. Wild stuff.' Kent doubled down after Tapper's criticism, as well as the New York Post writing a story calling him a 'conspiracy theorist,' suggesting a large-scale media effort on behalf of the war. 'The Post is jumping in w/CNN to show that war & supporting Israel 1st is bipartisan. I quoted Drop Site News that gave a roll up of U.S. & Iranian coverage. This attack is designed to divert from the main issue- this foolish war is not in our interest & only benefits Israel,' he wrote. Trump revealed extraordinary new details about the daring rescue mission to extract a wounded US airman who spent almost 48 hours stranded in Iran . The President on Monday described an all-hands-on-deck operation that employed 155 aircraft - including 64 fighter jets, 48 refueling tankers, 13 rescue aircraft and three helicopters. Trump lauded 'a breathtaking show of skill and precision, lethality and force' as US forces swooped into mountainous terrain in southern Iran to rescue the weapons systems officer (WSO) whose F-15E fighter jet went down on Good Friday. 'He scaled cliff faces, bleeding rather profusely, contacted his platoon, treated his own wounds and contacted American forces,' Trump said of the still unidentified officer, who was rescued on Easter Sunday. An image of the seat from the aircraft was posted after it ejected Trump admitted that there were military officers who were opposed to the operation which he said risked hundreds of lives. 'God was watching us,' the President said. The pilot was rescued the day of the crash after both airmen ejected over enemy territory, but the WSO had remained missing. The President noted how the weapons officer was able to activate a 'beeper' that showed US forces where to search for him, leading to the airman's rescue and likely saving the soldier's life. 'It was like finding a needle in a haystack,' Trump said. Trump also lashed out at the media for reporting that the second airman was still missing, accusing outlets of alerting the Iranians to a target. He warned that 'the person who reported the story will go to jail' if they refuse to reveal their source. It was unclear which reporter Trump was referring to and speculation ran rampant online Monday afternoon.   Trump revealed that US forces blew up their own planes before leaving because they had become bogged down in the makeshift runway at the extraction point.  Iran's military said two US C-130 military transport planes and two Black Hawk helicopters were destroyed during the operation. 'We blew them up to smithereens,' Trump claimed. Donald Trump lauded the operation to rescue two downed US service members in Iran over the weekend. 'God was watching us,' he said of the miraculous operation Your browser does not support iframes. 'It was sandy, wet sand, so we thought there may be a problem taking off because of the weight of the plane,' he continued. 'And then we also had all the men jumping back onto the planes, and they got pretty well bogged down.' The President said US forces used a 'farm not a runway' to land and execute the search and rescue operation. Trump said the US military had a 'contingency plan' for exactly that scenario, 'which was pretty unbelievable. Where lighter, faster aircraft came in and they took them out.' He said the old planes were destroyed 'because we had equipment on the planes' they the US didn't want in enemy hands. 'We didn't want anybody examining our anti-aircraft equipment and other equipment. So these were large planes that were old, pretty old, and we blew them up,' Trump divulged. The downed airman first made contact by radioing in 'God is good,' Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recounted, adding 'we leave no man behind.'  The plane's callsign was 'Dude 44,' said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dan Caine, with scores of aircraft scrambled within hours.  Caine praised the swift recovery of the pilot on Friday and the planning that went into rescuing the WSO.  The general said a special operations force fought their way in to extract the downed WSO in the early hours of Sunday, pressing on into daylight. 'We will always bring overwhelming skill and firepower,' the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs added. When Trump was asked how many servicemembers were involved in the mission, Caine interjected: 'I'd love to keep that a secret.' 'OK, well ... but I will tell you the number. I'll keep it a secret. But it was hundreds and hundreds of these people,' the President responded. No comments have so far been submitted. 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