The FBI is investigating Joe Kent, the recently resigned director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, over allegations he leaked classified information, according to multiple reports that surfaced Wednesday. The inquiry predates his resignation this week, CBS News reported, and comes as Kent publicly criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the conflict with Iran.
Kent announced his resignation on Tuesday, stating he could not support the war in Iran “in good conscience” and asserting that the country “posed no imminent threat” to the U.S. The White House dismissed Kent’s assessment. Speaking Wednesday evening on the Tucker Carlson Show, Kent elaborated on his concerns, alleging that dissenting voices within the administration were sidelined during the decision-making process leading up to the February 28th U.S. Airstrikes in Iran.
“A good deal of key decision makers were not allowed to come and express their opinion to the president,” Kent said, claiming there was “not a robust debate” before the strikes were authorized. He further alleged that the decision to attack Iran was driven by pressure from Israel, asserting that Israeli officials presented intelligence to the administration that did not align with established U.S. Intelligence assessments.
“I know how this works. I know the Israeli officials – some in intelligence, some in government – will come to US government officials and they will say all kinds of things that we know from our intelligence just simply isn’t true,” Kent stated. He claimed these officials would offer “previews” of events that ultimately did not materialize.
Kent’s remarks have drawn criticism, with some observers noting the potential for antisemitic tropes in references to an “Israeli lobby.” The Anti-Defamation League released a statement condemning Kent’s resignation letter for “traffic[king] in old-age antisemitic tropes.”
During the interview, Kent maintained that there was no credible intelligence indicating an imminent threat from Iran. “There was no intelligence that said, ‘Hey, on whatever day it was, March 1, the Iranians are going to launch this sizeable sneak attack – they’re going to do some kind of a 9/11, Pearl Harbor, et cetera, they are going to attack one of our bases.’ There was none of that intelligence,” he said.
Kent as well suggested a divergence in objectives between the U.S. And Israel, stating that while the U.S. Was not pursuing regime change, Israel was. “The Israelis are not shying from regime change. They want to knock out, lock, stock and barrel the current government. They don’t seem to have a plan for what comes next,” he said.
The White House responded to Kent’s resignation by dismissing him as “weak on security” and reaffirming its view that Iran poses “a tremendous threat.” President Trump stated that individuals who disagree with this assessment are not wanted in his administration.
Kent, a decorated Green Beret with 11 combat deployments, joined the CIA after the death of his wife, a Navy cryptologist, in a 2019 suicide bombing in Syria. His operate at the National Counterterrorism Center was overseen by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who has not publicly commented on Kent’s resignation or the allegations against him. Gabbard previously expressed skepticism about military strikes in Iran. A spokesperson for Gabbard declined to respond to questions regarding the matter.
The FBI has declined to comment on the existence of the investigation into Kent. The probe is being handled by the FBI’s criminal division and has been underway for some time, according to CBS News.
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