Kent’s nomination was approved despite objections from Democrats, who said his embrace of conspiracy theories and past associations with extremists were disqualifying.

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Joe Kent to a top counterterrorism role, overcoming opposition from Democrats who described the retired Army Green Beret as a conspiracy theorist who has associated with White nationalists and other far-right extremists.

Joe Kent, a former Army Special Forces soldier and two-time Republican candidate for Congress in Washington, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Wednesday as director of the National Counterterrorism Center.