Trump’s Former Counterterrorism Chief Joe Kent Hits Back Over Fbi Leak Probe In Megyn Kelly Interview: ‘i Did Nothing Wrong’

Joe Kent, who served arsenic President Donald Trump’s counterterrorism chief, has pushed backmost against reports that he is under FBI investigation, insisting he “did thing wrong” and denouncing nan alleged probe arsenic a “sideshow.”

Kent resigned arsenic nan head of nan National Counterterrorism Center connected Tuesday complete his staunch guidance to nan war successful Iran, which he claimed Trump had been deceived into starting. The adjacent day, aggregate news outlets reported that nan FBI had opened an investigation into Kent complete allegations he inappropriately shared classified material.

“As for nan leak allegations, I'm not concerned because I cognize I did thing wrong,” Kent told Megyn Kelly, a celebrated blimpish podcaster, successful an question and reply released connected Friday.

“Of course, I americium concerned because we’ve each seen nan FBI and nan afloat weight of nan authorities travel down connected individuals who speak out,” he added. “So that has maine a small concerned but I cognize nan truth and nan facts are connected my side.”

Kelly, 1 of respective right‑wing media figures to speak retired against nan war, noted that Trump and his friends person relentlessly attacked Kent, branding him arsenic anemic and moreover accusing him of treason. She asked whether nan fallout from his resignation had angered him.

“It does anger me,” he said. “But it’s each conscionable to beryllium expected. I knew this was going to happen. I cognize their playbook.”

He besides insinuated that nan bureau’s investigation whitethorn not moreover beryllium real.

“If location genuinely was an FBI investigation — and who knows possibly location will beryllium — past location would beryllium a process and a process for that. They would really formally travel to me, and if they were still collecting accusation they astir surely wouldn’t leak it,” Kent said.

When reached for remark by The Independent, an FBI spokesperson declined to remark connected nan probe.

“I consciousness very assured successful what I'm doing correct now,” Kent added. “I deliberation I person a mission, and I deliberation it is to do everything I tin to extremity this war. To maine I benignant of position everything other arsenic a sideshow.”

Kent’s question and reply pinch Kelly is among respective media appearances he has made since posting his resignation missive to X connected Tuesday morning, which quickly went viral and drew much than 100 cardinal views.

“I cannot successful bully conscience support nan ongoing warfare successful Iran,” he wrote. “Iran posed nary imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this warfare owed to unit from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”

The 20-year Army seasoned — whose Navy serviceman woman died while serving successful Syria — added that he “cannot support sending nan adjacent procreation disconnected to conflict and dice successful a warfare that serves nary use to nan American people.”

Kent expanded connected his determination to time off nan management successful an question and reply pinch Tucker Carlson released connected Wednesday. He told Carlson that nan Israelis “drove nan decision” to spell to warfare and that Iran was not connected nan verge of processing a atomic bomb.

He besides claimed that, during his tenure, he was blocked from investigating nan September assassination of Charlie Kirk, which he insinuated whitethorn person been carried retired by overseas actors.

The White House — which was reportedly caught disconnected guard by Kent’s abrupt departure — has dismissed his determination arsenic inconsequential.

Trump said he “realized that it’s a bully point that he’s out” aft reference his resignation missive connected Tuesday. The president besides characterized Kent arsenic “weak connected security.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called nan section “laughable” and took rumor pinch nan ex-counterrorism chief’s declare that Iran posed nary imminent threat to nan U.S.

“As President Trump has intelligibly and explicitly stated, he had strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to onslaught nan United States first,” Leavitt wrote connected X.

Recent polls show that a mostly of Americans are opposed to nan warfare successful Iran, which has now entered its 3rd week.