Former US Counterterrorism Director Joe Kent Under FBI Investigation After Harsh Criticism of Iran War
Former Director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, is now at the centre of a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe. This legal action has emerged only a few days after Kent resigned from his position as a protest against the war policy in Iran.
According to reports from BBC and CBS media partners, the FBI investigation relates to allegations of leaking classified information. Sources indicate that the probe actually began even before Kent officially stepped down from his role earlier this week. As of this report, the FBI has not provided an official comment on the status of the investigation.
In his first post-resignation interview with conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson, Kent launched sharp criticism against the joint US-Israel military operation that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, last month. Kent described the move as a fatal strategic mistake for regional stability.
“The US-Israel operation that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is the last thing we should have done,” Kent stated in the interview.
Kent explained his argument, noting that although he was not a follower of Khamenei, the leader had actually played a role in restraining Iran’s extreme nuclear ambitions.
“He (Khamenei) moderated their nuclear programme; he prevented them from acquiring nuclear weapons,” he added. When asked by Carlson if Iran was on the brink of possessing nuclear weapons at the time, Kent firmly replied, “No, they were not on the brink of that.”
Kent warned that the assassination of Khamenei would instead ignite nationalist sentiment that strengthens the regime. He highlighted the figure of Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ali Khamenei, who has now been elected as the new supreme leader.
“If you remove him, if you aggressively kill him, people will rally around the regime, and the next ayatollah you get—and based on all the data we have, I think that’s what’s happening with his son,” Kent explained.
Although he resigned due to policy disagreements, Kent emphasised that his relationship with President Donald Trump remains good. He revealed that he had spoken directly with Trump before leaving the administration.
“I spoke with him before I left the administration. The conversation went well. I mean, it wasn’t the best conversation ever, but I told him why I was leaving and he listened to me,” Kent disclosed. He added that Trump was very respectful and kind, and he is confident they parted on positive personal terms.
Before his resignation was officially announced, Kent reportedly met with Vice President JD Vance on Monday to submit his resignation letter and outline his concerns regarding the escalation of war in Iran.