(Headline USA) The FBI is investigating whether Joe Kent, who resigned his position as a top counterterrorism official this week in protest of the Iran war, improperly shared classified information, a person familiar with the matter said Wednesday.
The investigation purportedly precedes Kent’s resignation Tuesday from his role as director of the U.S. government’s National Counterterrorism Center, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing FBI inquiry.
But it comes amidst Kent’s vocal criticism of Israel for allegedly dragging the U.S. into the war with Iran. FBI Director Kashyap Patel has said that serving Israel’s interests is among his top priority.
Additional details about what the investigation, which was first reported by Semafor, is examining were not immediately available.
Kent disclosed his departure from the administration in a statement on X in which he cited his concerns about the justification for military strikes in Iran and said he “cannot in good conscience” back the war against Iran.
After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today.
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… pic.twitter.com/prtu86DpEr
— Joe Kent (@joekent16jan19) March 17, 2026
“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.
Trump, who appointed Kent, later told reporters that he always thought Kent was “weak on security” and if someone in his administration did not believe Iran was a threat, “we don’t want those people.”
A phone message was left Wednesday night for Kent, who previously ran unsuccessfully for Congress, with a former campaign manager.
Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press
