The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reportedly opened an investigation into Joe Kent, the former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, over alleged leaks of classified information.
Shelby Talcott, the White House Correspondent for Semafor, reported the inquiry predates Kent’s departure from his former role, citing four sources. The investigation centers on whether Kent improperly disclosed classified material to unauthorized individuals.
News: Joe Kent is under FBI investigation for allegedly leaking classified information, three sources tell me. I’m told the investigation pre-dates his departure.
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) March 18, 2026
The White House, the FBI, and the Director of National Intelligence did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment. Talcott reported that the White House and FBI declined to comment.
Kent resigned Tuesday morning, claiming that a “misinformation campaign” sparked the war in Iran. In an X post, the former NCTC Director said that Iran posed no threat to the U.S. and blamed Israel for pressuring the U.S. into the conflict, just one day before Tulsi Gabbard’s House Intelligence Committee hearing on global threats.
“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,” Kent wrote in his post.
Gabbard issued a statement on X just hours after Kent resigned.
“Donald Trump was overwhelmingly elected by the American people to be our President and Commander in Chief. As our Commander in Chief, he is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat, and whether or not to take action he deems necessary to protect the safety and security of our troops, the American people, and our country,” Gabbard wrote on X.
President Donald Trump also reacted to Kent’s resignation on Tuesday, commenting on Kent’s criticism of the Iran conflict while taking questions in the Oval Office. He defended his administration’s decision to launch the military action, insisting the intervention was justified.
“I always thought he was a nice guy, but I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security. I didn’t know him well, but I thought he seemed like a pretty nice guy,” Trump said. “But when I read his statement, I realized, it’s a good thing that he’s out because he said that Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat; every country realized what a threat Iran was. The question was whether or not they wanted to do something.”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated once more information becomes available.
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