Joe Kent Resigns as National Counterterrorism Center Director Amid FBI Probe Over Classified Leaks

Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent resigned on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, amid an ongoing FBI investigation into alleged leaks of classified information.

“Accusations and political pressure”

Al-Jazeera Net

The probe, which reportedly began months before his resignation, centers on allegations that Kent improperly shared classified information with media figures.

Al-Jazeera Net

Kent's departure marked the first high-ranking official to publicly leave the Trump administration over the ongoing war with Iran.

This resignation created significant political and national security implications for the administration.

Kent resigned in protest of the Trump administration's handling of the war with Iran.

In his resignation letter, Kent asserted that Iran posed "no imminent threat to our nation" and that the conflict began "due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby."

Anadolu Agency

In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Kent claimed that dissenting views were not reaching the White House.

He stated there had not been enough internal debate within the administration.

Kent also said he saw no intelligence indicating Iran was preparing a surprise attack on the United States.

He claimed his ability to present information challenging the administration's direction was being "squashed" before it reached the president.

The FBI investigation was first reported by Semafor and corroborated by multiple outlets including The New York Times, CBS News, and Axios.

The investigation focuses on allegations that Kent improperly shared classified information during his tenure as director.

Sources familiar with the matter told Semafor that the investigation had been underway for several months before Kent's resignation.

This indicates the probe is not solely a consequence of his public departure.

According to Anadolu Agency, Kent was suspected of passing information to conservative commentator Tucker Carlson and at least one other podcaster.

TRT World reported that the FBI is also examining leaked intelligence related to Iran and Israel.

The Trump administration swiftly responded to Kent's resignation with both public criticism and political attacks.

President Donald Trump dismissed Kent's concerns, stating it was "a good thing" he was out and calling him "very weak on security."

BBC

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt rejected Kent's claims as "insulting and laughable," insisting that Iran posed an imminent threat.

Leavitt claimed Trump had "strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first."

Former deputy White House chief of staff Taylor Budowich accused Kent on social media of being "at the center of national security leaks."

Budowich dismissed Kent's resignation as merely an attempt "to make a splash before getting canned."

Kent's resignation and the accompanying FBI investigation have broader implications for national security discourse and political dissent within the administration.

“"But when I read his statement, I realized that it's a good thing that he's out, because he said that Iran was not a threat”

CBS News

A 20-year US Army Special Forces veteran and former CIA paramilitary officer, Kent's departure highlights growing friction within the upper echelons of the Trump administration regarding Middle Eastern policy.

CBS News

According to streamlinefeed.co.ke, the FBI's investigation creates a "chilling effect on internal dissent" by framing the conflict as a leak inquiry.

This "discourages other officials from questioning the evidentiary basis of national security decisions."

The development also raises questions about the integrity of the information chain.

Kent suggested that the administration may have bypassed standard analytical channels in making decisions about Iran.