Trump: Iran Intel Official Resigns – “Good Thing”

President Donald Trump said a senior U.S. counterterrorism official who resigned in protest of the war with Iran was “very weak on security” and that his departure was “a good thing.” Joseph Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), resigned Tuesday, citing his inability to support the ongoing conflict.

Joseph Kent’s Resignation and Criticism of the War

Kent, a former Green Beret with multiple combat tours, stated that “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation” and that the war began due to pressure from Israel and its American lobby. Trump responded to Kent’s resignation statement by saying he “realised that it’s a good thing that he’s out.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed Kent’s claims as “false” and called the suggestion that the war decision was influenced by others “insulting and laughable.”

Leavitt stated that President Trump had “strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first.” She further explained that Trump determined a joint attack with Israel would reduce the risk to American lives from a potential first strike by Iran and address the threat to national security.