Kent says FBI probe meant to ‘steal a narrative’ from true intentions of Iran war

Joe Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCC), said an FBI probe investigating him for leaking classified information is a mechanism to “steal a narrative” to cover the Trump administration’s true intentions for entering war with Iran. 

“If you’ve been in MAGA circles for this long, you kind of understand what this is,” Kent told Megyn Kelly on her podcast Friday. “This is just an effort for them to steal a narrative, and to have us discussing things like the leaks, the investigation, etc., as opposed to the main issue, which is why we went to war with Iran.” 

Kent resigned from the NCC on Tuesday after criticizing Trump for entering war with Iran, which the U.S. entered unofficially on Feb. 28 after launching joint strikes on Tehran with Israel, killing Iran’s supreme leader. Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other top officials have said the strikes were necessary as Tehran posed an imminent threat to national security in the U.S. Their strikes, with Israel, have targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities, navy and air force. 

“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent wrote in a letter he sent to Trump Tuesday announcing his resignation. “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.” 

While the FBI’s investigation was reportedly underway before Kent resigned, he told Kelly he had no knowledge the agency was investigating him prior to his decision to resign. 

“I was not aware of any investigation that I was under,” Kent said. “They have to leak the allegations of the FBI investigation if there truly was an FBI investigation. Who knows, maybe there will be. Then there would be a process and procedure for that. They would actually formally come to me.” 

Kent denied accusations that he leaked classified documents to media outlets and personnel like right-wing pundit Tucker Carlson who has also voiced opposition to the war against Iran. Kent went on Carlson’s podcast Wednesday where he discussed his decision to leave the NCC.

“It does anger me, but it’s all just to be expected,” Kent told Kelly. “I knew this was going to happen. I know their playbook.” 

“I feel very confident in what I’m doing right now. I think I have a mission. I think it is to do everything I can to stop this war,” Kent added. “So to me, I kind of view everything else as a sideshow, and I just want to stay focused on the mission.”

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