A former senior intelligence official who quit in protest of the Iran war is being investigated by the FBI for allegedly leaking sensitive material, according to a source familiar with the case.
The FBI is looking into whether Joe Kent, who quit as a top counterterrorism official last week in protest of the Iran war, inappropriately released secret material, according to a source familiar with the situation.
I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran.
This situation adds a whole new layer to an already tense story. A senior official didn’t just quit over the Iran war—now he’s being investigated for possibly leaking sensitive information.
Kent’s Resignation and Criticism of the Iran War
Kent announced his departure from the administration in a statement, citing doubts about the reason for military attacks in Iran and saying he "cannot in good conscience" support the war against Iran.
"I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran," Kent stated in a letter.
"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," Kent informed the crowd.
Kent said Tuesday that he disagreed with the choice to go to war with Iran and that the country did not pose "an imminent threat," as the Trump administration claimed.
In his resignation letter, Kent stated that while he supported Trump's beliefs throughout his first term, the president had been misled by Israel. Kent stated that he wasn't comfortable with "sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives."
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Kent elaborated on his reasoning in an interview, stating that there was no intelligence showing Iran was planning a preemptive assault on the United States or was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon, and that there was no "robust debate" prior to the conflict.
Administration Response and Political Pushback
The Trump administration has responded vehemently.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed Kent's resignation letter contained "false claims," claiming that Iran does pose an imminent threat to the United States and labeling suggestions that President Trump was pushed into conflict by another country "insulting and laughable."
According to Leavitt, Trump "had strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first."
Other Trump administration officials, including CIA Director John Ratcliffe, have now distanced themselves from Kent's conclusion.
When asked about Kent, Trump responded, "I always thought he was weak on security." He described Kent as a "nice guy" but said that it was a good thing he was gone because Iran was not a threat.
"Iran posed a menace. Every country recognized Iran as a threat."
Leavitt also stated that Kent "was not involved in any of the discussions" leading up to or during the Iran conflict, and that he had not contributed to the president's intelligence brief in "a while."
Former deputy White House chief of staff Taylor Budowich claimed that Kent was "often at the center of national security leaks" and "spent all of his time working to subvert the chain of command and undermine the President."
Kent’s Response and Public Statements
In his first interview since leaving, Kent told Tucker Carlson that he expected attempts to "discredit" him for protesting.
"I understand the way I left and writing the letter that there's parts of this administration that are going to have to come after me and try and discredit me," Kent elaborated.
"And so I think he's listening, not necessarily just to me and to you, but I think he is listening to a lot of different people, because I think he knows at a core level, this is not going well, and he needs to find a way for us to get out of this."
Kent appeared to respond to allegations that he was out of the loop, claiming that he understood how intelligence meetings operated and would have known if they took place.
Tulsi Gabbard, serving as Director of National Intelligence, addressed Kent's remarks.
She clarified that the president holds the authority to determine the parameters of an imminent threat.
Gabbard refused to say in a congressional committee whether she thought Iran's nuclear program posed a "imminent threat."
FBI Investigation Details and Background
According to the source, the probe began before Joe Kent, the National Counterterrorism Center's director, announced his departure on Tuesday.
According to the sources, the investigation began before Kent quit last week due to the Trump administration's handling of the war with Iran.
The FBI's Criminal Division is in charge of the long-running investigation.
Additional information about the investigation's subject matter was not immediately accessible.
The White House directed questions to the FBI, which declined to comment.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Kent did not immediately return a request for comment.
Kent, a Trump candidate, was confirmed by the Senate to lead the National Counterterrorism Center this summer after previously working as chief of staff to his close supporter, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Before joining the CIA, Kent served in the Army Special Forces for 20 years, including 11 combat deployments.
His wife, Shannon Kent, was killed in a terrorist bombing in Syria in 2019, where she worked as a Navy cryptologist.
The former Green Beret and congressional candidate has faced criticism in the past.
Kent hired a member of the far-right Proud Boys for consultancy work during one of his House campaigns, claimed the 2020 election was stolen, and that Dr. Anthony Fauci be prosecuted with murder for the "scam that is Covid."
Over the previous year, the Justice Department has launched various investigations of President Donald Trump's political foes, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Why This News Matters
This situation adds a whole new layer to an already tense story. A senior official didn’t just quit over the Iran war—now he’s being investigated for possibly leaking sensitive information.
That raises bigger questions about what’s happening behind the scenes: whether there are internal disagreements spilling out into public view, and how seriously the government is treating dissent within its own ranks.
Read more in our Investigation section for similar stories and expert analysis.
Sophia Lee
Investigative Journalist
Sophia Lee is an investigative reporter focusing on uncovering corruption, government malpractice, and corporate scandals. She has written multiple high-profile exposés and is dedicated to revealing the truth behind complex cases.
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