Who is Joe Kent? Former head of NCTC, Iran’s military resigns, explains FBI investigation

Joe Kent stood up to the right as a combat veteran turned political vagabond – a former Green Beret and CIA officer who used his battlefield experience to criticize America’s “endless wars” and the DC establishment that supported them.

A running mate of President Donald Trump and a participant in the 2020 post-election challenges, Kent became a prominent voice in the populist wing of the GOP.

Now, his recent resignation as director of the National Counterterrorism Center — and his accusations that the war in Iran was driven by “pressure from Israel” — have caused a swift retreat from the GOP, leaving Kent estranged from parts of the political establishment that once welcomed him.

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Kent’s resignation letter on Tuesday posed a direct challenge to the Trump administration’s justification for the Iran War, saying “Iran has never posed a threat to our nation” and arguing that the conflict is being driven by “pressure from Israel and its powerful American Lobby.”

He also pointed out that a “campaign of lies” by Israeli officials and the US media had pushed the United States into war, an allegation that quickly drew back lawmakers from both parties.

After Kent abruptly resigned, it was revealed that he had been under investigation by the FBI for weeks for allegedly leaking classified information.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was unaware of the investigation, an intelligence official told Fox News Digital. Thursday.

Administration officials also told Fox News Kent has been cut from planning meetings for the current Iran operation, known as Operation Epic Fury, and daily presidential briefings.

Kent’s resignation, which has been overshadowed by the FBI’s reported investigation into alleged leaks, has put an ever-increasing figure in Trump’s orbit amid growing conflict over the administration’s Iran strategy, how intelligence is used in military decisions, and internal rifts within the national security team.

A military veteran turned politician

Kent’s rise in conservative circles was shaped as much by his military career as by personal loss.

A 20-year veteran of the Army Special Forces and a former CIA officer, he served in multiple combat zones before entering civilian life.

His profile rose significantly after the 2019 death of his first wife, Navy Senior Chief Shannon, who was killed in a suicide bombing in Syria.

Kent often cites her death as a turning point for him, prompting him to criticize what he describes as failed US foreign policy and “endless wars” in the Middle East.

Later, he entered politics and joined the Congress 2022 and 2024 in the state of Washington as a Republican affiliated with President Donald Trump’s “America First” movement.

Kent earned Trump’s endorsement during his campaigns and became a prominent voice in the populist wing of the party, combining a strong stance on national security and opposition to long-term military intervention.

Kent was killed in an ISIS bombing in Syria in 2019. (US Navy)

Signs of tension in the intelligence community

Kent’s latest departure has raised questions about internal dynamics within the Trump administration’s national security team, especially as differences emerge over Iran strategy and the intelligence used to justify it.

While Gabbard has long espoused a more restrained approach to foreign policy, the White House has taken a more aggressive stance toward Iran, suggesting that there may be a wide divergence in both strategy and the intelligence used to justify it.

Gabbard has responded cautiously in the days since Kent’s departure, avoiding a direct defense of his claims while emphasizing the president’s role in making the final decisions.

In a statement about Iran’s threats after Kent’s departure, Gabbard did not name him, instead stressing that the intelligence agencies are providing vetting but that “the president is responsible for deciding what is dangerous and what is not.”

Pressed by senators in an internationally threatened hearing Wednesday on whether he agrees with the White House that Iran poses an imminent threat to the US ahead of the strikes that began on Feb. 28, repeatedly refused to say that, saying it was up to the president to make such a decision.

During a similar hearing in the House on Thursday, Rep. Elise Stefanik, RN.Y., read parts of Kent’s resignation letter — including his claim that Israeli officials and the US media pushed the United States into war — and asked if Gabbard agreed with the statement.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth greets one of Joe Kent’s sons. The former National Counterterrorism Director is a father of two and a Gold Star spouse. (US Army photo by Elizabeth Fraser / Arlington National Cemetery)

“He said a lot of things in that letter,” Gabbard responded, adding that the president “makes decisions based on the information he has.”

When asked if Kent’s comments bothered her, Gabbard answered simply: “Yes.”

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Kent’s comments also drew heavy criticism from mainstream Republicans.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell described the language in Kent’s resignation letter as “brutal anti-Semitism,” calling it a “baseless and inflammatory conspiracy” and said such views have “no place” in government.

In early March, Gabbard’s chief of staff, Matt Baker, left his post, although a senior intelligence official told Fox News Digital Baker that Baker’s departure was a planned return to the private sector.

Gabbard also recently brought in Dan Caldwell, an outspoken advocate of a more restrictive foreign policy. Caldwell was previously the subject of a Pentagon leak investigation while working with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, although the results of that investigation have not been made public and Caldwell insists it is inconclusive.

A source familiar with the move said Caldwell will be doing administrative work instead of shaping policy.

Gabbard’s office could not be reached for comment.

Non-interventionist Republicans praised Kent after his departure.

“Someone inside sees what we see: there is no imminent threat, pressure to persuade people. That’s why we need to spend money and talk,” said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.

“Joe Kent IS A GREAT HERO OF AMERICA. God bless and protect him! He just declared that war with Iran is AMERICA’S LAST and we voted against it,” said former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.

A change in his views on Iran

Kent’s past comments on Iran indicate a worse position than his resignation might suggest.

During his congressional campaigns, he has consistently portrayed Iran as a real and continuing threat and warned against allowing it to expand its influence across the region.

At times, Kent’s rhetoric went further, indicating a willingness to use direct force against Iran when deemed necessary.

In a 2020 social media post following the US strike that killed Iran’s General Qassem Soleimani, commander of the elite Quds Force responsible for operations outside Iran. Kent called on the administration to “wipe out Iran’s power,” while also calling for the withdrawal of US troops from the region.

These comments highlight the tension that has defined his foreign policy views—support for aggressive, targeted action against adversaries and deep opposition to prolonged military engagement.

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By 2024, Kent had embraced a doctrine of what he described as “peace with strength,” praising Trump-era policies that include sanctions, targeted strikes and negotiations while avoiding a major military commitment.

In a Newsweek op-ed that year, he argued that sending US troops to confront Iran or its proxies would be “a huge mistake,” advocating withdrawing troops from vulnerable positions while continuing to strike enemies from afar.

His resignation marks a sharp break: not only did he oppose the expansion, but he rejected the idea that Iran posed an imminent threat.

Kent could not be reached for comment.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the FBI for comment on its ongoing investigation.

White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt called the claims in Kent’s resignation letter “false” and “laughable.”

“There are many false claims in this book, but let me address one specifically: that ‘Iran has never been a threat to our nation.’ This is the same false claim that Democrats and others in the liberal media have been repeating,” he wrote on X.

“The absurd allegation that President Trump made this decision because of the influence of others, even foreign countries, is insulting and ridiculous.”