Joe Kent has stepped down from his role as director of the National Counterterrorism Center, citing disagreements over how the threat from Iran has been evaluated. and misguided. However, subsequent reporting indicates Kent may have already been sidelined internally prior to his departure, amid concerns that he could be responsible for leaking sensitive information. Those concerns are now the subject of a federal investigation.
In his resignation, Kent argued that Iran does not present a direct or imminent danger and suggested that President Donald Trump faced pressure from Israel when authorizing Operation Epic Fury. His letter, however, drew a sharp response from the Trump administration, which viewed it as unnecessary
According to NBC News,
“A former senior intelligence official who resigned in protest over the Iran war is under investigation by the FBI for allegedly leaking classified information, according to a source familiar with the matter. The source told NBC News that the investigation began before Joe Kent, a longtime Trump ally and retired Green Beret, announced his resignation Tuesday as director of the National Counterterrorism Center.
Kent, who reported to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, said Tuesday that he disagreed with the decision to go to war against Iran and that the regime did not pose ‘an imminent threat’ as the Trump administration has asserted.
The White House referred questions to the FBI, which declined to comment. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday night.”
If the allegations are substantiated, they raise serious concerns about internal conduct at a high level of the intelligence community, where safeguarding classified information is critical.