Joe Kent’s resignation as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center has been further complicated by reports that he is under investigation by the FBI for allegedly leaking classified information. According to Semafor and CBS News, the inquiry began before Kent stepped down on Tuesday from his role overseeing analysis of terrorist threats. The FBI declined to comment on the investigation.

Kent is the first senior official to resign over the US war in Iran. After leaving his post, he spoke publicly for the first time in an interview with Tucker Carlson, criticizing the decision-making process behind the February 28 US airstrikes on Iran. He alleged that many key officials were excluded from discussions and that there was insufficient debate.

While Kent did not directly criticize Donald Trump, he painted a picture of a White House dominated by a small group of advisers, where dissenting voices were often sidelined. He claimed that intelligence did not indicate any imminent Iranian attack on US interests, describing the notion of a sudden strike—similar to 9/11 or Pearl Harbor—as unfounded.

Kent also alleged that Israel played a decisive role in prompting US military action, citing lobbying by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He explained that Israeli officials frequently provided information to US authorities that was misleading or unverified, which influenced policy decisions. His comments on Israeli influence have drawn criticism.

He highlighted differences in objectives between US and Israeli policymakers, arguing that while the US was cautious about regime change in Iran, Israel was not. Kent said he could no longer support the administration’s approach, stating that continuing in his position would conflict with his principles.

In his resignation letter to Trump, Kent cited “much reflection” and immediate effect. He wrote that he could not in good conscience support the war in Iran, asserting that the country posed no imminent threat and that the conflict was driven by Israeli pressure and lobbying in the US. He framed his decision as consistent with the values and foreign policies Trump had promoted in previous campaigns and his first term.

Kent further accused high-ranking Israeli officials and influential American media figures of running a misinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” agenda and encouraged military action. He argued that US leadership was misled into believing Iran posed an immediate threat, drawing parallels to the misinformation that led to the Iraq war.

In response, Trump dismissed Kent as “weak on security,” insisting that Iran represented “a tremendous threat” and asserting, “If somebody didn’t think it was a threat, we don’t want those people.”