Gabbard Defends Trump's Iran War as Top Counterterrorism Official Resigns
A significant rift has opened within the Trump administration's national security apparatus over the decision to go to war with Iran. The controversy escalated with the resignation of Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, who stated he could not in good conscience support the conflict because 'Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation.' Kent, a Trump supporter, placed blame for the intelligence assessment on Israeli officials and American media, accusing them of misleading the president. In response, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has publicly defended President Trump. Breaking her initial silence on the escalating conflict, Gabbard stated that Trump, as the elected Commander-in-Chief, has the sole authority to determine an imminent threat. She asserted that the president reached his conclusion based on intelligence provided by her office, directly countering Kent's central claim. Gabbard's support, delivered at a campaign rally and on social media, marks a stark shift for the former Democratic congresswoman who built a political career warning against costly foreign wars and regime-change conflicts, particularly with Iran. The resignation and Gabbard's defense are now drawing intense scrutiny from Congress. Lawmakers, including California Democrat Ro Khanna, are calling for Kent to testify before Congress about the intelligence leading to the war. Furthermore, Gabbard herself is expected to face tough questioning in upcoming hearings, where she will be pressed to defend the administration's assertions about the nature of the Iranian threat and the necessity of military action. The episode highlights deep divisions over the intelligence that precipitated the conflict. While the White House, through spokespeople like Senator Marco Rubio, praises Gabbard's contributions to national security, critics point to the contradiction between her past anti-war rhetoric and her current role in defending a major military engagement. The situation places the Office of the Director of National Intelligence at the center of a political and ethical storm over the justification for a war now in its third week.
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Sources
U.S. NewsIran War ... Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump hugs former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard during a campaign rally at Greensboro Coliseum, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Greensboro, N.C. ... Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is defending President Donald Trump's authority to take military action against Iran...
In a statement, Rubio dismissed ... fake news.” · “Tulsi has done a fantastic job and is a respected member of the President’s national security team and has contributed a great deal to the President’s historic efforts to make America safe and strong again,” Rubio said. Gabbard’s silence is striking given her past rhetoric on Iran...
Joe Kent, top counterterrorism official, says Iran posed no imminent threat as he resigns over Trump's war | PBS News
Director of National Intelligence ... to Trump to decide whether Iran posed a threat. "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 ...
Top Trump counterterror adviser resigns over Iran war: 'No imminent threat' - ABC News
ABC News has reached out to several Israeli officials for comment. The National Counterterrorism Center is housed within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, led by Tulsi Gabbard. Gabbard on Tuesday publicly backed Trump's authority to determine what constitutes an imminent threat ...
Trump news at a glance: calls for former counter-terror chief to face Congress after quitting over Iran war | Trump administration | The Guardian
California representative Ro Khanna’s call came after Kent, a supporter of Trump, wrote on X that “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation” before blaming Israel.
Tulsi Gabbard will face tough questions in a congressional hearing after a top intelligence official resigns over Iran war.
Lawmakers will be asking Gabbard to defend President Donald Trump’s handling of the U.S.-Israeli aerial assault on Iran, which has entered its third week, and whether she agrees with the administration’s assertions that military action was necessary because of the nature of the threat presented ...
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