Joe Kent Was Under FBI Classified-Leak Probe for Months Before Resigning as National Counterterrorism Center Director Over Iran War
Multiple outlets report the FBI’s Criminal Division has been investigating NCTC Director Joe Kent for months on suspicion of leaking classified intelligence, with sources saying the probe includes allegations he shared material with conservative media figures. Kent resigned effective March 17, 2026, saying he could not “in good conscience” support the administration’s war with Iran and arguing Iran posed “no imminent threat” and that the conflict was driven by Israeli influence — claims the White House and other officials have publicly disputed.
📌 Key Facts
- Joe Kent resigned as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center effective immediately on March 17, 2026, posting a resignation letter on X saying he could not "in good conscience support the ongoing war" in Iran, asserting "Iran posed no imminent threat" and charging the war was "manufactured" by Israel and "pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby," and urging President Trump to "reflect" and reverse course.
- Multiple outlets reported the FBI’s Criminal Division has been investigating Kent for months before his resignation into alleged leaks of classified information; the probe began prior to his departure, investigators had reportedly monitored him and examined an online "paper trail," and the FBI declined to comment publicly.
- Sources told Axios the FBI is examining whether Kent leaked intelligence about Israel and Iran to conservative media figures — including Tucker Carlson and another podcaster — and Semafor was first to report the existence of the probe.
- Kent was nominated in February 2025 and confirmed as NCTC director in July 2025 by a 52–44 vote after contentious hearings that raised Democratic concerns about his ties to far‑right figures (including Nick Fuentes, Proud Boys consultant Graham Jorgensen and Patriot Prayer founder Joey Gibson) and prior Jan. 6 conspiracy rhetoric; he is an Army Special Forces and former CIA paramilitary officer whose wife, Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent, was killed in Syria in 2019.
- News reports say Kent had been cut out of intelligence briefings months before he resigned, and some administration officials privately told congressional staff in the days after the war began that U.S. intelligence did not show Iran preparing a preemptive strike on the United States — underscoring reported gaps between private intelligence assessments and public statements.
- The White House, DNI Tulsi Gabbard, House Speaker Mike Johnson and CIA Director John Ratcliffe publicly rejected Kent’s threat assessment — saying Trump acted on "strong and compelling" evidence that Iran posed an imminent threat and that U.S. and allied strikes (Operation Epic Fury) had degraded Iran’s capabilities — while Sen. Mitch McConnell denounced Kent’s resignation letter as containing "virulent anti‑Semitism."
- Kent’s resignation was described as the first prominent Trump administration official to quit specifically over the Iran war, leaving the NCTC without a confirmed director during the conflict; his tenure and departure also revived prior accusations that he sought to politicize intelligence and highlighted his controversial past statements on COVID vaccines, Jan. 6 and other issues.
📊 Relevant Data
As of 2024, Jewish Americans, who make up about 2.4% of the U.S. population, hold approximately 10% of U.S. Senate seats and 5.7% of House seats, representing an overrepresentation relative to their population share.
Congress is now 3 times more Jewish than the United States as a whole — Jewish Federations of North America
In a 2026 survey, a majority of connected American Jews supported the United States entering the war against Iran, while expressing concern about the conflict's potential to increase antisemitism.
Connected US Jews back Iran strikes, wider US public stays skeptical — Jewish People Policy Institute
According to a February 2026 IAEA report, Iran had 440.9 kg of uranium enriched to up to 60% before attacks, enough if enriched further to potentially produce nuclear weapons, with no access granted to inspectors at key sites post-war.
IAEA report says Iran must allow inspections, points at Isfahan — Reuters
As of December 2024, Black Americans, comprising 13.6% of the U.S. population, made up 21.4% of active-duty Army soldiers, indicating overrepresentation in the military relative to their population share.
How many people are in the US military? A demographic overview — USA Facts
The Iranian diaspora in the U.S. is divided on the war with Iran, with some supporting military action for regime change and others opposing it due to concerns over civilian casualties and lack of nuance in policy.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
Joe Kent Resigns on Anti-Israel Principle
"The WSJ editorial criticizes Joe Kent’s public resignation as counterproductive and questions why someone who opposed the Iran war accepted the National Counterterrorism Center post, arguing senior officials should either carry out administration policy or decline the role."
📰 Source Timeline (19)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
March 19, 2026
3:09 AM
Joe Kent under FBI investigation for alleged leaks
New information:
- Axios cites three sources familiar with the case confirming that Joe Kent has been under FBI investigation for months on suspicion of leaking classified information.
- One source tells Axios Kent is suspected of leaking classified material specifically to Tucker Carlson and another conservative podcaster, and that the FBI is examining leaked intel related to Israel and Iran.
- A source says Kent 'left quite an online paper trail' and had been 'monitored for months,' asserting he resigned because he was already under investigation, not the other way around.
- Axios highlights prior friction between Kent and the FBI over his attempts to access investigative records in the Charlie Kirk murder case, with an official calling his theories about foreign death squads 'nutty' and potentially harmful to the prosecution.
2:10 AM
F.B.I. Investigates Joe Kent for Possible Intelligence Leak
New information:
- The New York Times independently reports that the FBI opened an investigation into Joe Kent for possibly leaking sensitive intelligence, citing two people with knowledge of the situation.
- The Times specifies that the investigation predated Kent’s resignation on Tuesday as director of the National Counterterrorism Center.
- The article foregrounds that disclosure of the inquiry followed what it calls a coordinated Trump‑administration effort to discredit Kent as untrustworthy and disloyal after his Iran‑war resignation letter.
- The piece notes the FBI and Justice Department under Trump have 'frequently targeted the president’s critics and political enemies for criminal investigations, often without sufficient evidence to obtain or sustain a criminal indictment'—a characterization that frames the leak probe in a pattern, though it is an editorial assessment rather than a new factual data point.
1:34 AM
Former counterterrorism chief Joe Kent under FBI investigation for alleged classified leaks
New information:
- Fox News Digital reports, citing three unnamed sources, that the FBI is investigating former NCTC Director Joe Kent over allegations he leaked classified information.
- The piece says the FBI probe predates Kent’s resignation and notes that he had been cut out of intelligence briefings months earlier, according to a senior administration official.
- The article confirms Kent resigned Tuesday from his role as the nation’s top counterterrorism official, publicly stating he 'cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war' against Iran and that Iran posed no imminent threat.
1:06 AM
Joe Kent under FBI investigation for alleged leaks
New information:
- The FBI is investigating former NCTC Director Joe Kent in connection with alleged leaks of classified information.
- The probe is being handled by the FBI’s Criminal Division and has been underway "for some time."
- Multiple sources with direct knowledge say the leak investigation began before Kent’s resignation over the Trump administration’s handling of the Iran war.
- The FBI declined comment and Kent did not immediately respond to CBS; Semafor first reported the existence of the probe.
March 18, 2026
7:48 PM
What to know about Joe Kent, Trump counterterrorism chief who resigned
New information:
- CBS piece emphasizes that Kent had been a staunch Trump loyalist from 2016 through his own failed congressional bids and conservative media advocacy before breaking over the Iran war.
- Details that an administration official told CBS News that Kent was not involved in briefings on Iran, casting doubt on his access to the intelligence he is disputing.
- Provides an expanded record of Kent’s past associations with far‑right figures including Nick Fuentes, Proud Boys member Graham Jorgensen, and Patriot Prayer founder Joey Gibson.
- Recounts Kent’s history of endorsing conspiracy theories: calling COVID vaccines 'experimental gene therapy,' suggesting Anthony Fauci should face murder charges, describing Jan. 6 rioters as 'political prisoners,' and echoing claims of federal agents instigating Jan. 6.
- Notes that during Senate confirmation hearings, Kent later disavowed some right‑wing ties and said he rejects 'all racism and bigotry,' but refused to back off his 2020 election denialism.
- Adds that Kent was confirmed in July on a 52–44 party‑line‑ish vote, with every Democrat opposing his nomination over his right‑wing ties.
5:36 PM
Tulsi Gabbard offers threat assessment – and walks a careful line on Iran
New information:
- Gabbard, in public testimony, focused on claiming Operation Epic Fury has “vastly degraded” Iran’s military capabilities, adding that the Iranian regime itself remains intact.
- Under questioning, she declined to specify in open session whether the intelligence community had warned the White House before the war that Iran was likely to shut the Strait of Hormuz and hit neighboring Gulf oil producers.
- She again affirmed that earlier June U.S. strikes had effectively destroyed Iran’s nuclear program, but emphasized that determining imminence is the president’s call, not the intelligence community’s, sharpening the separation between intel judgments and Trump’s public claims of an imminent nuclear threat.
- She refused to answer in an open hearing whether Russia is furnishing intelligence to Iran, deferring that topic to the classified session.
- CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s testimony, as reported here, directly counters Joe Kent’s “no imminent threat” claim by asserting Iran posed both a constant and “immediate” threat at the time of Trump’s decision.
5:27 PM
McConnell claims Joe Kent's resignation letter contained 'virulent anti-Semitism'
New information:
- Sen. Mitch McConnell posted on X that Joe Kent’s resignation letter contained 'virulent anti-Semitism' and said isolationists and anti-Semites 'have no place in either party, and certainly do not deserve places of trust in our government.'
- The Fox article quotes at length from Kent’s resignation letter, in which he says the Iran war 'started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby' and alleges 'high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign' to push Trump into war.
- Kent writes that the same 'tactic' and 'echo chamber' were used by Israelis to 'draw us into the disastrous Iraq war' and describes his late wife as having died in a 'war manufactured by Israel.'
- The story notes McConnell previously backed Kent when he was confirmed, highlighting his Senate testimony a year earlier about Iranian proxy threats and pledges to lead with 'integrity and accountability.'
- McConnell reiterates he is not seeking another term, underlining that he is speaking as a long‑serving but outgoing GOP leader rather than a candidate protecting his own re‑election.
1:22 PM
DNI Tulsi Gabbard says that Trump acted because he concluded the Iranian regime 'posed an imminent threat'
New information:
- DNI Tulsi Gabbard posted on X that, after 'carefully reviewing all the information before him,' President Trump concluded 'the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent threat' and acted on that conclusion.
- Gabbard explicitly states that as commander in chief Trump is 'responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat,' casting imminence as his judgment call rather than an objective standard.
- She describes the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s role as coordinating intelligence to provide the president 'the best information available,' implicitly defending the process that led to Trump’s war decision.
- Trump, responding to Joe Kent’s resignation, said it was 'a good thing that he’s out' and insisted 'Iran was a threat' and that 'every country realized what a threat Iran was,' reinforcing his public dismissal of Kent’s assessment.
1:19 PM
Trump resurfaces old tweet from intel official who resigned
New information:
- Trump resurfaced a January 2020 tweet from Joe Kent in which Kent urged Trump to 'wipe Iran's ballistic capability out and get our troops out of Iraq.'
- The 2020 tweet explicitly praised the lack of U.S. casualties after the Soleimani strike as a tribute to U.S. military and intelligence professionalism rather than 'Iranian restraint.'
- Fox’s piece restates DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s position that, after reviewing intelligence, Trump concluded Iran posed an 'imminent threat' and acted on that assessment, directly contrasting Kent’s resignation letter.
March 17, 2026
9:57 PM
White House, after top counterterrorism official quits, says Trump had 'strong' evidence Iran would attack US
New information:
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a detailed statement rejecting Joe Kent’s claim that Iran posed no imminent threat and that the war was driven by Israeli and lobby pressure.
- Leavitt said Trump had 'strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first,' compiled from 'many sources and factors,' and that he would never deploy military assets 'in a vacuum.'
- She described Iran as 'the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism,' cited its short‑range ballistic missile expansion and naval assets as creating 'immunity' to hold the U.S. and world hostage, and framed Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S.–Israeli attack, as reducing the risk to American lives from an Iranian first strike.
- Leavitt called Kent’s allegation that Trump acted under foreign, including Israeli, influence 'insulting and laughable' and stressed that Trump has for 'decades' said Iran must 'NEVER possess a nuclear weapon.'
5:55 PM
WATCH: Trump addresses Iran strikes, Kent resignation during St. Patrick's Day visit with Irish Taoiseach Martin
New information:
- Trump, in a March 17 Oval Office meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, called Joe Kent a 'nice guy' but 'very weak on security.'
- Trump said Kent’s resignation was 'a good thing' and added 'We don't want those people,' explicitly rejecting Kent’s Iran threat assessment.
- Trump tied his critique directly to Kent’s view on the Iran threat, underscoring a clear policy split rather than a purely personal departure.
4:14 PM
Top U.S. counterterrorism official resigns, says "Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation"
New information:
- CBS piece is a short video hit that reiterates Joe Kent’s on‑camera statement that 'Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation' when he resigned as NCTC director.
- It confirms the framing that his resignation is explicitly 'over the Middle East conflict,' reinforcing that this is a protest move rather than a routine departure.
3:57 PM
WATCH: Johnson refutes outgoing counterterrorism official's claim that Iran posed no imminent threat
New information:
- House Speaker Mike Johnson publicly rejected Joe Kent’s assertion that Iran posed no imminent threat, saying after receiving classified briefings he 'understood that there was clearly an imminent threat.'
- Johnson claimed Iran was 'very close to the enrichment of nuclear capability' and 'building missiles at a pace no one in the region could keep up with.'
- Johnson argued that if Trump had waited, 'we would have mass casualties of Americans, service members and others, and our installation would have been dramatically damaged.'
- The piece reiterates that days after the war started, Trump officials privately told congressional staff that U.S. intelligence did not show Iran preparing a preemptive strike on the U.S., underscoring the gap between public and private messaging.
3:35 PM
Joe Kent, top counterterrorism official, says Iran posed no imminent threat as he resigns over Trump's war
New information:
- PBS/AP piece confirms the resignation timing as Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at 11:35 a.m. EDT and that Kent announced it on social media.
- Article emphasizes that Kent explicitly framed the war as driven by 'pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby' while serving as sitting NCTC director.
- Story adds detail on Senate confirmation politics: Kent was confirmed 52–44 last July, with Democrats opposing him over ties to Proud Boys consultant Graham Jorgensen, Patriot Prayer’s Joey Gibson, and his refusal to distance himself from Jan. 6 conspiracy theories.
- Provides reaction context: notes Democrats’ criticism, Republicans’ praise of Kent’s counterterrorism resume (quoting Sen. Tom Cotton’s floor speech), and that the White House and DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s office had 'no immediate comment.'
- Reiterates that Kent was part of a Signal group chat used by Trump’s national security team to discuss sensitive military plans, which Democrats grilled him over in his confirmation hearing.
2:29 PM
Joe Kent, a top counterterrorism official, resigns citing Iran war
New information:
- NPR article emphasizes that Kent is an Army veteran whose wife, Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent, was killed in Syria in 2019, and that he frames his opposition partly through that personal loss.
- The piece quotes additional language from Kent’s resignation letter to Trump, including his line that until June 2025 Trump understood Middle East wars were a 'trap' that robbed America of lives and wealth.
- Kent’s letter directly urges Trump to 'reflect upon what we are doing in Iran, and who we are doing it for,' and tells the president he 'holds the cards' to either reverse course or allow further 'decline and chaos.'
- The article underscores that Kent says he still supports 'the values and the foreign policy' Trump campaigned on and portrays the Iran war as a departure from that posture.
2:19 PM
"No imminent threat": U.S. Counterterrorism Center head resigns over Iran war
New information:
- Axios provides additional, fuller excerpts from Joe Kent’s resignation letter, including his explicit statement that "Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation" and that the war began "due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby."
- The piece situates Kent’s critique as a challenge from within the 'America First' wing, stressing that he believed Trump abandoned his earlier anti‑interventionist foreign policy under the influence of Israeli officials and U.S. media figures.
- Axios adds more biographical and political context on Kent’s background: Army Special Forces and CIA paramilitary service, two Trump‑aligned congressional runs, Democrats’ earlier concerns about his far‑right ties and Jan. 6 conspiracy rhetoric, and his close working relationship with intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard.
2:06 PM
Top Trump counterterrorism official resigns over Iran war
New information:
- CBS confirms Kent’s resignation is effective immediately and notes he posted his resignation letter on X Tuesday morning.
- The article quotes Kent’s letter stating he believes the Iran war was 'manufactured' by Israel and began 'due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.'
- CBS emphasizes that Kent is the highest‑ranking Trump administration official to resign over the Iran war and recaps that he was nominated in February 2025 and confirmed in July 2025.
1:55 PM
Key counterterrorism official in Trump administration resigns in protest over war in Iran
New information:
- This piece confirms that Kent posted the resignation Tuesday morning, March 17, 2026, and characterizes it as a protest 'over the war in Iran.'
- It emphasizes that Kent is 'the first and only prominent official' in the Trump administration to resign specifically over the Iran war.
- It notes Kent recently served as acting chief of staff to DNI Tulsi Gabbard and had been accused of trying to politicize intelligence by allegedly ordering analysts to 'rewrite' assessments to help the White House.
- It reiterates Kent’s far‑right and extremist associations, including ties to Proud Boys and white nationalist figures, defense of Jan. 6 rioters as 'political prisoners,' and claims that COVID vaccines are 'experimental gene therapy.'
- The article underscores that his departure leaves the U.S. with no NCTC director 'during a war.'