Credited from: LEMONDE
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is probing Joe Kent, who resigned as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) over his opposition to the Iran war. Reports indicate that the investigation pertains to alleged leaks of classified information, which started prior to his resignation on March 17. Kent's resignation positions him as the first senior Trump administration official to step down amid the Iran conflict, according to AA and India Times.
Kent publicly stated that he could not support the ongoing war in Iran, claiming that "Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation" and that the decision to engage militarily was influenced by external pressure from Israel. In his resignation letter, Kent emphasized his belief that the war commenced due to the influence of "Israel and its powerful American lobby," a statement that has led to significant pushback from the White House, according to South China Morning Post and BBC.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt countered Kent's assertions by underscoring that President Trump had "strong and compelling evidence" regarding Iran's threat, dismissing Kent's claims as misleading. Trump himself labeled Kent "weak on security" following his resignation and expressed satisfaction with Kent's departure, indicating that the administration's views were not aligned with Kent's statements, as reported by Le Monde and Middle East Eye.
In interviews following his resignation, Kent reiterated the absence of intelligence to support an imminent Iranian threat, claiming that many key decision-makers were excluded from the discussions leading up to military action against Iran. He characterized this as a lack of robust debate within the administration. Kent's comments raise questions about the integrity of intelligence assessments and the motivations behind military engagements, particularly how pro-Israel sentiments may have influenced U.S. foreign policy, according to CBS News and India Times.