BREAKING: Ex-Trump Official Under FBI Investigation, Reports Say

Joe Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, is reportedly under FBI investigation concerning potential leaks of classified intelligence. The story, which was first reported by Semafor, comes just a day after Kent publicly resigned from his position over objections to the Trump Administration’s handling of the conflict with Iran.

The details of the reports emerged in connection with Kent’s resignation in a Fox News report citing anonymous “senior administration officials,” one of whom described Kent as a “known leaker” who had been excluded from presidential intelligence briefings months earlier due to suspected leaks.

The White House had reportedly instructed Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to remove him for these reasons, though she did not do so at the time. Kent had no involvement in discussions or briefings related to Iran operations, and his access to certain classified information was removed several weeks prior to his departure, according to the Fox News report.

“There are investigations underway into leakers in this administration, and people will be held accountable for that. It’s unacceptable, and it cannot be tolerated,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement without addressing Kent specifically.

She added that Kent “has been actually present for the president’s intelligence briefings” only in the past but was not part of pre-operation or ongoing Iran-related processes.

On Wednesday evening, Semafor reported that Kent was under investigation for potential leaks. The report added that the probe began prior to his departure from the White House.

Joe Kent speaks at a campaign rally in 2022

Prior to his service with the Trump Administration, Kent served with U.S. Army special forces with 11 combat deployments and later as a CIA paramilitary officer. He is a Gold Star husband, having lost his wife, Shannon Kent, in a 2019 suicide bombing in northern Syria.

Kent ran unsuccessfully for Congress in Washington state’s 3rd District as a Republican and has been a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump’s “America First” policies.

In February 2025, Trump nominated him to lead the National Counterterrorism Center. Kent initially served as chief of staff to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard before his Senate confirmation in July 2025 by a 52-44 vote. He assumed the role of director on July 31, 2025, and held it until his resignation.

In that capacity, Kent oversaw the coordination and analysis of intelligence on terrorist threats worldwide and served as a principal advisor to the president on counterterrorism matters, reporting directly to Gabbard.

On Wednesday morning, Kent offered his resignation and addressed President Trump directly in his public letter. “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 war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” he wrote.

Kent referenced Trump’s first-term policies, noting that until June 2025 the president had understood Middle East conflicts as traps that depleted American resources. He further described a “misinformation campaign” by high-ranking Israeli officials and American media that he said undermined Trump’s platform.

“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,” Kent continued.

He concluded by urging the president to reconsider his strategy. “The time for bold action is now. You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos,” he wrote.

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