Trump's counter terror chief who quit after branding Iran war 'a mistake' under investigation for 'leaking classified info'
It comes as Trump faces growing criticism at home and abroad over his decision to join Israel's war on Iran
Donald Trump’s head of counter terrorism - who resigned over the war on Iran and said Tehran posed “no imminent threat” to the United States - is being investigated over the alleged leak of sensitive information.
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Joe Kent was the White House’s most senior counter terror official and has been widely supportive of Trump’s foreign policy approach until his resignation on Tuesday.
Now, it has emerged the former National Counter Terrorism Center director has been accused of improperly sharing classified information, according to Semafor.
An investigation into the alleged leak predates Mr Kent's resignation, sources told the outlet.
On Tuesday, White House officials claimed that Mr Kent was an "egomaniac" responsible for "national security leaks."
Mr Kent resigned from his post amid growing criticism at home and abroad Mr Trump is facing over what is seemingly becoming another ill-planned US intervention in the Middle East.
After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today.
— Joe Kent (@joekent16jan19) March 17, 2026
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
Sharing his letter to the president on X, Mr Kent said: “It is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby."
His letter added: “I support the values and the foreign policies that you campaigned on in 2016, 2020, 2024, which you enacted in your first term. Until June of 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trap that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation.
“In your first administration, you understood better than any modern President how to decisively apply military power without getting us drawn into never-ending wars. You demonstrated this by killing Qasam Solamani and by defeating ISIS.
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“Early in this administration, high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war with Iran.
“This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that should you strike now, there was a clear path to a swift victory.
“This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women. We cannot make this mistake again.
“As a veteran who deployed to combat 11 times and as a Gold Star husband who lost my beloved wife Shannon in a war manufactured by Israel, I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives.”
Mr Kent told Tucker Carlson in his first interview since resigning that he expected there would be attempts to “discredit” him for his public criticism of the Trump administration's Middle East war.
However, he said he would welcome th chance to speak to Mr Trump.
“I understand the way I left and writing the letter that there’s parts of this administration that are going to have to come after me and try and discredit me,” Mr Kent said on Wednesday.
He added: “I understand that, but I think the president is someone who listens."
“And so I think he’s listening, not necessarily just to me and to you, but I think he is listening to a lot of different people, because I think he knows at a core level, this is not going well, and he needs to find a way for us to get out of this.”
It comes as British military planners have been dispatched to the US in a bid to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, after Donald Trump bemoaned a lack of support from Sir Keir Starmer.
The team of planners include the first sea lord, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, and has seen options for helping unblock the lane presented to British ministers.
The UK is unlikely to send Royal Navy ships to escort vessels while the Iran war is carrying on, the Times says.
The US president previously said he was "disappointed" in the prime minister for not backing his invasion with UK military might.
Iran's military action in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane, saw oil prices surge to $110-per-barrel on Wednesday, amid fears prices could hit $200.
Mr Trump threatened to "massively blow up" an Iranian gas field overnight, as the regime continued to target neighbouring states - the latest being an attack on a Qatari gas refinery.
As of Thursday morning, the fires at the Ras Laffan energy facility are said to have been brought under control.
Appearing to hit out at Israeli Pimre Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr Trump said Israel had "violently lashed out" after hitting the South Pars gas field - the largest gas field in the world.
He insisted "no more attacks would be made by Israel" after Israel reportedly struck the refinery without his knowledge.