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Joe Kent, head of the US National Counterterrorism Center, resigned over President Donald Trump’s war on Iran and said Iran “does not pose an imminent threat to our country.”
In his statement to Trump on X, Kent said, “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran.”
He said Trump was “deceived” into believing Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States.
“This was a lie and the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war, which cost the lives of thousands of our nation’s best men and women. We cannot make this mistake again.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt blasted Kent and his letter for “many false allegations.”
“As President Trump made clear, he had strong and convincing evidence that Iran would attack the United States first.” Leavitt wrote in a lengthy social media post:. “This evidence was compiled from many sources and factors. President Trump would never make the decision to deploy military assets against a foreign enemy in a vacuum.”
