Joe Kent walked out of a top U.S. intelligence role, accusing allies and insiders of dragging the country into war with Iran. Now, fresh reporting suggests he’s been under federal investigation for months.
The former director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) didn’t just resign quietly. He lit a match on the way out, publicly breaking with the administration and accusing key players of pushing the United States into a conflict he argued never should have happened.
In his resignation, Kent made clear this wasn’t about a policy disagreement. It was about a fundamental break over war.
“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. 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.”
That alone would have been enough to shake Washington. A sitting intelligence chief of the NCTC accusing both foreign allies and domestic political actors of driving U.S. military action is not routine dissent. It’s a direct shot at the credibility of the intelligence and policy apparatus he was part of.
Kent didn’t stop there. In his formal letter, he escalated the accusation, arguing that the president himself had been misled in the lead-up to the conflict.
“High-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform… to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat… This was a lie.”
That claim is now colliding with something far more serious. According to Semafor, which first reported the investigation, federal authorities are examining Kent over potential unauthorized disclosures tied to sensitive intelligence.
The investigation predates Kent’s resignation and has been underway for months, according to people familiar with the matter.
“The investigation into former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent is focused on allegations that he improperly shared classified information.”
Four people with direct knowledge of the probe described the investigation as ongoing and tied to concerns about the handling of classified material.
The probe was already underway before Kent resigned, challenging any claim that the scrutiny is purely political fallout.
Inside the administration, the reaction to Kent's resignation has been blunt. President Donald Trump signaled little sympathy for Kent’s departure, framing it as a net positive as the fallout began to build.
Read More: Top Aide to Tulsi Gabbard Resigns in Explosive Letter, Blames Israel for 'Iran War'
Trump Responds to Kent's Resignation: 'It's a Good Thing That He's Out'
At the same time, the administration has pushed back directly on Kent’s narrative, rejecting his claims about the origins of the Iran conflict and accusing him of echoing familiar political talking points.
Officials argued Kent’s claims mischaracterize both the intelligence picture and the policy decisions that led to the conflict, dismissing his accusations as inaccurate and politically loaded.
That back-and-forth is happening under the shadow of a federal investigation, raising the stakes well beyond a typical Washington dispute. Kent is no longer just a former official airing grievances. He is a former intelligence official whose actions were and are being scrutinized for potential legal and national security implications.
A top counterterrorism official resigns, accuses the system of misleading the country into war, and in the middle of it all, it is reported that he was (and is) under investigation by the FBI for alleged leaks of classified information well before he resigned.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned to RedState for updates.
Editor's Note: For decades, former presidents have been all talk and no action. Now, Donald Trump is eliminating the threat from Iran once and for all.
Help us report the truth about the Trump administration’s decisive actions to keep Americans safe and bring peace to the world. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member