Joe Kent, former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, is facing a probe from the FBI over allegations he improperly shared classified information, Semafor reports. The report comes a day after Kent resigned over the war in Iran.
When reached by Newsweek via email Wednesday night, the FBI declined to comment.
Kent's resignation and the reported FBI investigation come amid ongoing debate over the Trump administration's rationale for strikes against Iran, elevating questions around potential internal dissent and the credibility of stated justifications for the U.S.-Israeli war waged on Iran.
As head of the National Counterterrorism Center, Kent led an agency that analyzes terrorist threats and advises senior officials, making his public break with the administration and the reported federal probe into alleged leaks significant.
The inquiry, which one source described to Semafor as ongoing for months and predating Kent's departure, focuses on allegations that he improperly shared classified information, the outlet reports, citing four people with knowledge of the investigation.
Semafor reported that the FBI probe centers on allegations that Kent improperly shared classified information and that Trump aides and allies denounced him as a leaker after his resignation became public.
In an interview with conservative pundit Tucker Carlson on Wednesday, Kent also said that the last time he saw Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk "on this earth," in the West Wing, the late political activist Kirk told him to "stop us from getting into a war with Iran."
President Donald Trump responded to Kent's departure by saying in part, "I always thought he was weak on security. Very weak on security. ... It's a good thing that he's out," during comments at the White House.
Kent, on X Tuesday: "After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today. 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. It has been an honor serving under @POTUS and @DNIGabbard and leading the professionals at NCTC. May God bless America."
Trump, on Truth Social Wednesday: "Remember, for all of those absolute 'fools' out there, Iran is considered, by everyone, to be the NUMBER ONE STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR. We are rapidly putting them out of business!"
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, also on X Tuesday: "Donald Trump was overwhelmingly elected by the American people to be our President and Commander in Chief. As our Commander in Chief, he is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat, and whether or not to take action he deems necessary to protect the safety and security of our troops, the American people and our country. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is responsible for helping coordinate and integrate all intelligence to provide the President and Commander in Chief with the best information available to inform his decisions. After carefully reviewing all the information before him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent threat and he took action based on that conclusion."
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, pushing back on Kent's claims, saying in part on X Tuesday: "As President Trump has clearly and explicitly stated, he had strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first," and called the suggestion of influence from another country "both insulting and laughable."
Former Georgia lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican, on X Tuesday: "Joe Kent is a GREAT AMERICAN HERO. God bless him and protect him!"