US President Donald Trump on Tuesday slammed Joe Kent, saying it was "a good thing" he stepped down after downplaying the threat posed by Iran.
Reacting to Kent's exit amid the ongoing Iran war, Trump said, "It's a good thing he is out because he said Iran was not a threat."
"When somebody is working with us and says they didn't think Iran was a threat-uh, we don't want those people... they're not smart people, or they're not savvy people. Iran was a tremendous threat," Trump told to media in a press brief.
The US President added that while he found Kent to be "a nice guy," he had concerns about his stance on national security.
"I always thought he was a nice guy, but I always thought he was weak on security-very weak on security... when I read his statement, I realized that it's a good thing that he's out," Trump said, reiterating that "Iran was a threat-every country realized that."
Trump on Joe Kent's resignation over Iran War:
— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 17, 2026
When somebody is working with us and says they didn't think Iran was a threat—uh, we don't want those people, because there are some people, I guess, that would say that—but they're not smart people, or they're not savvy people.… pic.twitter.com/IXmlvu8YJ9
Separately, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt strongly rejected claims made in Kent's resignation letter, calling them “false and absurd.”
In a post on X, Leavitt addressed Kent's assertion that Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States.
“There are many false claims in this letter but let me address one specifically: that ‘Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation,'” she wrote.
After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today.
— Joe Kent (@joekent16jan19) March 17, 2026
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… pic.twitter.com/prtu86DpEr
“This is the same false claim that Democrats and some in the liberal media have been repeating over and over.”
Leavitt said President Trump had “strong and compelling evidence” that Iran was preparing to attack the US. “This evidence was compiled from many sources and factors. President Trump would never make the decision to deploy military assets against a foreign adversary in a vacuum,” she said.
Calling Iran “the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism,” Leavitt added: “The Iranian regime is evil. It proudly killed Americans, waged war against our country, and openly threatened us all the way up to the launch of Operation Epic Fury.”
She further said Iran had been expanding its ballistic missile capabilities alongside naval assets to create a deterrent shield, with the ultimate aim of pursuing nuclear weapons.
“The regime aimed to use those ballistic missiles as a shield to continue achieving their ultimate goal – nuclear weapons,” she said.
Leavitt also said the Trump administration had explored diplomatic options before resorting to military action. “The President… gave the regime every single possible opportunity to abandon this unacceptable course… But they would not say yes to peace,” she noted.
Defending the decision to launch military operations, she said: “President Trump ultimately made the determination that a joint attack with Israel would greatly reduce the risk to American lives… which is why he launched the massively successful Operation Epic Fury.”
She emphasised that threat assessment ultimately rests with the US President. “The Commander-in-Chief determines what does and does not constitute a threat… and the American people… entrusted him and him alone to make such final judgments,” she said.
Dismissing suggestions of external influence, Leavitt added: “The absurd allegation that President Trump made this decision based on the influence of others… is both insulting and laughable.”
“As someone who actually witnesses President Trump's decision-making process on a daily basis, I can attest… he is always looking to do what's in the best interest of the United States of America — period. America First.”
Earlier, the head of the United States' Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, resigned from his post, saying he could not in "good conscience" support the ongoing war in Iran. Kent, in a post over X said, that Iran posed no imminent threat to "our nation", and it was clear that the United States started this war due to "pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby."
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