Protecting the innocent and bringing justice to evil-doers is my priority as Senior Director for Counterterrorism in President Trump’s second Administration.
I will not tell Prime Minister Starmer, or any other of America’s allies what they should or should not do with their own citizens. However, protecting the innocent and fighting evil is an objective every decent person should agree with.
On Monday, I was approached for an interview on my nomination to the second Trump White House, to serve under the incoming National Security Advisor, former Green Beret, Mike Waltz.
After having studied and researched Global Jihadism for more than twenty years, my former Boss, President Trump had asked me last year to come back in and run Counterterrorism for him and Congressman Waltz. Truly my dream job and a career pinnacle, and I was prepared to answer questions on my vision for that portfolio. But I wasn’t ready to be misquoted and have my answer distorted.
Luckily I only do interviews with people I don’t know in writing and on email, therefore I “have the receipts”.
This the question I was emailed: “Should the UK be forced to accept them back [British ISIS prisoners] and put them on trial considering how volatile the situation is in northeastern Syria since the fall of Assad?” And this was what I emailed back: “Any nation which wishes to be seen to be a serious ally and friend of the most powerful nation in the world should act in a fashion that reflects that serious commitment.”
As you can see I wasn’t asked about PM Starmer or Shamima Begum. At all. But that didn’t stop my “interview” from being printed with the headline: ‘UK should take back ISIS members in Syria’.
That’s not sloppy. That’s underhanded, it’s not journalism and paved the way for the others today to pile on and write that I “called on Sir Keir Starmer to bring the citizens home”.
Nope. Never did. But fake headlines get clicks don’t they?
I don’t trust the Press. On either side of the Atlantic. But I will say, The Express has been fair to me. I appreciate them doing real journalism.
