US counter-terrorism chief who resigned says he fears retaliation but has no regrets | Trump administration

Joe Kent, the former director of the National Counter-Terrorism Center who resigned from the Trump administration over the U.S. and Israel’s war against Iran, said he is prepared for potential political repercussions but would make the same decision again.

Resignation and Concerns Over Retribution

Kent stated he was “not concerned” about a pre-existing FBI investigation into whether he leaked classified information, but acknowledged the possibility of facing consequences for speaking out against the administration’s policies. He alluded to the Trump administration’s history of pursuing criminal charges against perceived opponents, expressing concern that “the full weight of the FBI and the government” could be brought to bear against him.

“That has me a little bit concerned,” Kent said on Megyn Kelly’s podcast Friday. “But I know that the truth and the facts are on my side.”

Focus on the War in Iran

Kent, a former U.S. Army special forces veteran, resigned on Tuesday and has since appeared on conservative media outlets, including with Kelly and Tucker Carlson, to voice his opposition to the war in Iran. He maintained he could not continue in his role “in good conscience” due to the conflict, which he said President Trump started without congressional authorization alongside Israel in late February.

In his resignation letter, Kent asserted that Iran “posed no imminent threat to our nation” and that the war was initiated due to pressure from Israel and its American lobby.

Past Affiliations and Accusations

Kent previously supported Trump’s Make America Great Again movement, defending the January 6th Capitol attack, promoting unsubstantiated claims of a stolen 2020 election, and interviewing far-right influencer Nick Fuentes. He also reportedly paid a member of the Proud Boys group to work on his unsuccessful 2022 congressional bid. He has also faced accusations of peddling antisemitic tropes by blaming an “Israeli lobby” for the Iran conflict.

Justification for Speaking Out

Kelly questioned Kent about whether it was worth becoming a target of the Trump movement by joining a group of Iran war skeptics. Kent responded emphatically, stating, “Most certainly. I think I have a mission, and I think it is to do everything I can to stop this war.”

White House Response and Intelligence Assessment

The White House dismissed Kent as “weak on security,” asserting that Iran represents “a tremendous threat.” President Trump stated, “If somebody didn’t think it was a threat, we don’t want those people.”

Tulsi Gabbard, Kent’s former boss and the national intelligence director, stated during a House permanent select committee on intelligence hearing that she strongly disagreed with many points in Kent’s resignation letter, but affirmed the president’s right to make decisions based on available intelligence.

Allegations of Israeli Influence

In a recent interview with UnHerd, Kent reiterated his belief that Trump’s decision-making process was heavily influenced by “an ecosystem” of Israeli officials. He also criticized media outlets, including Fox News, the Wall Street Journal editorial board, and the New York Post, for echoing what he described as coordinated talking points aligned with Israeli interests.

Kent claimed these outlets falsely portrayed Iran’s nuclear program as an immediate threat, which he believes undermined negotiations. He anticipated a return to conflict following a brief period of de-escalation in June of last year and subsequent U.S. missile strikes against Iranian nuclear sites.

He added that after those events, “the robust debates kind of go away, and there was a much smaller group of advisers around President Trump,” and that this was due to “the official engagement from the Israelis then echoed by the pro-Israel media heads that were in Trump’s media diet.”