FBI probing counter-terrorism official who quit over Iran war: reports

Published March 19, 2026 Updated March 19, 2026 01:39pm

The FBI has opened an investigation into a senior US counterterrorism official who quit in protest of the Iran war for allegedly leaking classified information, US media reported, according to AFP.

Joseph Kent served as director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) until his resignation on Tuesday, writing to President Donald Trump that he could not “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 war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” said Kent, a 45-year-old former special forces member.

The FBI investigation into Kent predated his departure, according to reports by outlets including the New York Times and CBS, both citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the situation.

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