The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has opened an investigation into Joseph Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), over alleged leaks of classified information.
Kent, who stepped down from his role on Tuesday, had cited his opposition to the ongoing war with Iran as the reason for his resignation. He stated that he could not continue in the position due to concerns about the conflict.
“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,” he said in a statement.
The NCTC is the primary agency responsible for coordinating and analysing terrorism-related intelligence across U.S. government institutions.
A report by Semafor indicated that sources within the FBI confirmed that Kent is under investigation for allegedly sharing classified information without authorization. One source disclosed that the probe had been underway for several months before his resignation.
The New York Times reported that the investigation followed a broader effort within the Trump administration to portray Kent as unreliable and lacking loyalty.
Tensions between the United States and Iran escalated on February 28 when Israel carried out what it described as pre-emptive missile strikes on Iranian targets. Shortly after, President Donald Trump announced that the operation was conducted in partnership with the United States.
Since then, Iran has continued to exchange strikes with U.S. and Israeli forces, deepening the conflict and raising global concerns.
