White House Seeks to Contain Fallout from Joe Kent's Resignation Over Iran War
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday moved to contain the political fallout from the resignation of Joe Kent, the former National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) chief, over the ongoing conflict with Iran. In a televised interview, Leavitt asserted that Kent was not involved in any discussions related to the U.S. military operation in Iran and emphasized that President Donald Trump retains "full confidence" in Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Leavitt Distances Kent from Iran War Decision-Making
Speaking to Fox News, Leavitt stated that Kent, who became the first senior Trump administration official to resign over the Iran conflict, "was not involved in any discussions on the Iran operation." This comment appeared aimed at undercutting the significance of Kent's public break with the administration. His resignation has fueled questions about the intelligence basis for the war and whether there was internal dissent within the national security establishment.
Leavitt used the interview to firmly back Tulsi Gabbard, declaring that Trump has "full confidence" in the Director of National Intelligence despite the political storm triggered by Kent's exit. This endorsement comes as the administration faces heightened scrutiny over its handling of the Iran situation.
White House Pushes Back on Kent's 'No Imminent Threat' Claim
Kent resigned on Tuesday, stating he could not "in good conscience" support the war in Iran. In his resignation statement, he argued that "Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation" and claimed the war was launched due to "pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby," a charge the White House has repeatedly and forcefully rejected.
Leavitt had already responded to Kent's letter on Tuesday, calling parts of it misleading. "There are many false claims in this letter but let me address one specifically: that 'Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation,'" Leavitt said, according to Fox News. She added, "This is the same false claim that Democrats and some in the liberal media have been repeating over and over."
Leavitt further asserted that Trump had "strong and compelling evidence" that Iran was preparing to attack the United States first, justifying the military action.
'Trump Would Never Act in a Vacuum'
Elaborating on the intelligence behind the president's decision, Leavitt said it was compiled from multiple sources. "This evidence was compiled from many sources and factors," she noted, adding that "President Trump would never make the decision to deploy military assets against a foreign adversary in a vacuum."
She defended the broader rationale for the strikes, describing Iran as the "world's leading state sponsor of terrorism" and stating the regime had "proudly killed Americans" and openly threatened the U.S. up to the launch of the military operation. According to Fox News, Leavitt said Iran had been aggressively expanding its short-range ballistic missile capabilities, intending to use them as a shield while pursuing its "ultimate goal" of acquiring nuclear weapons.
"The regime aimed to use those ballistic missiles as a shield to continue achieving their ultimate goal – nuclear weapons," she explained. She added that Trump concluded a joint strike with Israel would "greatly reduce the risk to American lives" posed by what she described as an imminent threat to U.S. national security interests.
Trump Had Already Hit Out at Kent
Leavitt's latest comments come a day after Trump himself publicly attacked Kent following the resignation. Shortly after Kent's resignation, Trump said he had always viewed Kent as "weak on security" and described his departure as "a good thing."
"I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security," Trump stated. He also remarked that after reading Kent's statement, "I realized that it's a good thing that he's out." Trump argued that if someone in his administration believed Iran was not a threat, "we don't want those people."
Kent's Exit Puts Pressure on Intelligence Chiefs
Kent's resignation has sharpened scrutiny of the administration just as top intelligence officials prepare to face Congress. His criticism is expected to feature prominently as lawmakers question intelligence leaders about the assessments that preceded the U.S.-Israel war against Iran.
The Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Wednesday was set to include testimony from Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, FBI Director Kash Patel, and senior officials from the National Security Agency and Defense Intelligence Agency. Kent's resignation letter, especially his claim that Iran did not "pose an imminent threat to the United States," is likely to become a focal point for Democrats pressing the administration on whether the intelligence justified military action.
Representative Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said, "I've seen absolutely no evidence that there was an imminent threat of attack by Iran," according to the New York Times, highlighting the partisan divide over the issue.
