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Question: “The president spoke on this a little bit yesterday in the Oval Office. He said he always thought Joe Kent was a good guy. Obviously, [INAUDIBLE] has a commendable military record and experience. However, he was not someone who was involved in the Presidential Daily Brief, part of the president's intelligence briefings over the last several months, have not seen him here at the White House for quite some time. And the president feels it's deeply disappointing that after the president gave him an opportunity in this administration to serve the American people, that he would resign with a letter filled with falsehoods, accusing the president of the United States by being controlled by a foreign country that's both insulting and laughable all at the same time. The president is the leader of the most powerful country [and] military in the world. Nobody tells him what to do. The president's decisions [are] based on what's in the best interest of this country.”
Question: “The president said yesterday that he always thought Kent was weak on security. Why would he name someone to run the Counterterrorism Center who he thought was weak on security?”
Leavitt: “Again, I just told you that the president gave Joe Kent a chance, and he thought [INAUDIBLE] a guy with good military experience. And unfortunately, he was not up for the job. And we don't want somebody leading the Counterterrorism Task Force who cannot agree that the number one state sponsor of terror in this world did not pose a threat to the United States. That's what, another falsehood, he said in his letter of resignation, which is just unequivocally false.
“It's backed by intelligence. It's backed by the fact that Iran was building ballistic missiles at a rapid rate to build a shield of immunity so they could build a nuclear bomb. And it's backed by the fact that the president of the United States made the decision to attack Iran before they could attack American troops and our assets and bases in the region. And that was, of course, a good decision, not just for the United States, but for the rest of the world. It should be commended. It should not be degraded in the form of a resignation letter that's riddled with lies.
“Thank you.”
John Bennett
Roll Call & CQ
Wed. March 18, 9:51 AM
https://x.com/WHPressPool/status/2034267797719540104

White House Press Pool Reports @WHPressPool - VP Pool Report # 1 — JBA
Good morning from JBA, where Vice President JD Vance will soon depart for Michigan.
The VP is expected to deliver remarks later today at a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, a northern suburb of Detroit. He will be joined by the Second Lady and EPA administrator Lee Zeldin on the trip.
FPPO: We expect to be wheels up at 9:40, wheels down 11:10 Oakland County International Airport. Remarks are expected to begin at noon Eastern.
Lauren Fedor
Financial Times