(Left to right) Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Joseph Kent, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, and Operations Director of the National Security Branch at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Michael Glasheen are sworn-in prior to testifying before the House Committee on Homeland Security, December 11, 2025 (Credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)[Missing Credit]
“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” he wrote. “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
The investigation into Kent predates his resignation, according to multiple anonymous sources cited in US media of the story, with one official reportedly claiming it has been going on for months.
No specific details have emerged on what information was allegedly leaked, to whom, or when.
Neither Kent, the FBI, nor the White House has issued official statements on the investigation or commented on the reports.
In his first interview since resigning, Kent told anti-Israel journalist Tucker Carlson on Wednesday that he expected there would be attempts to “discredit” him for his protest.
He also repeated his claim that “the Israelis drove the decision to take this action” and that Iran was not close to developing a nuclear bomb, after the White House suggested that there was an “imminent threat” of Iranian attacks on the US as part of its justification for the war.
Kent reported directly to the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, who pushed back on his comments about the war on Tuesday.
Writing on X, she claimed that the president is responsible for determining what constitutes an “imminent threat”, based on intelligence provided by her office.
The White House also downplayed Kent’s resignation, with a spokesperson stating he was not central to war discussions, with President Trump calling him “weak on security”.
