He is opposed to the U.S. military intervention in Iraq and is noted for wearing portions of his military uniform to anti-war protests
Kokesh first came to national attention after he was interviewed on CNN and his photograph appeared in newspapers throughout the country, including the front page of the Los Angeles Times at a protest during Alberto Gonzales's testimony to Congress regarding the dismissal of U.S. attorneys. Kokesh, wearing his Marine Corps Boonie hat, held up a large sign counting the number of times Gonzalez said "I don't remember" or "I don't recall" (Kokesh claimed Gonzalez used such phrases 74 times).
In April 2007 Kokesh and a number of other activists were arrested for protesting the Iraq war in the Senate Hart Office Building.
On September 2, 2008, Kokesh spoke at Representative Ron Paul's Rally for the Republic in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he stated: "While it is our responsibility now to resist tyranny civily, while we still can, there may come a time when we will say to the powers that be, be it with your blood or ours we have come to water the tree of liberty … who will stand with me?"
Kokesh and other IVAW members wore elements of their Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniforms for a street theatre action marking the fourth anniversary of the Iraq War in March. Kokesh and several other IVAW members were contacted by the Marine Corps and warned of possible disciplinary action for violating military uniform policies by wearing their uniforms to a political demonstration.[11] Kokesh felt that they were being subjected to selective prosecution because of their war protest activities, and replied with a defiant letter (ending it with "[I] ... ask you to please, kindly, go f*ck yourself.").
The Republican Liberty Caucus, the PAC that represents the libertarian wing of the Republican Party, has endorsed Kokesh