FBI investigating whether departed U.S. counterterrorism official Joe Kent leaked classified info

The FBI is investigating whether Joe Kent, who resigned his position as a top U.S. counterterrorism official this week in protest of the Iran war, improperly shared classified information, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday (March 18, 2026).

The investigation precedes Mr. Kent’s resignation on Tuesday from his role as director of the U.S. government’s National Counterterrorism Centre, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing FBI inquiry.

But it comes as the Justice Department has undertaken multiple investigations over the last year into political foes of President Donald Trump, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Prosecutors have repeatedly struggled to make charges stick amid rejections from judges or to secure indictments in the first place.

Additional details about what the investigation, which was first reported by Semafor, is examining were not immediately available.

Mr. Kent disclosed his departure from the administration in a statement on X in which he cited his concerns about the justification for military strikes in Iran and said he “cannot in good conscience” back the war against 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,” Mr. Kent wrote.

Mr. Trump later told reporters that he always thought Mr. Kent was “weak on security” and if someone in his administration did not believe Iran was a threat, “we don’t want those people.” Other Trump administration officials, including CIA Director John Ratcliffe, have since sought to distance themselves from Mr. Kent and his assessment.

A phone message was left on Wednesday night for Mr. Kent, who previously ran unsuccessfully for Congress, with a former campaign manager.