Gabbard Backs Trump on Iran Threat Assessment Following Kent Resignation
In a statement posted on X, Gabbard affirmed Trump’s authority as commander in chief, writing that he is “responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat”
RWTNews Staff
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard publicly supported President Donald Trump’s decision to launch military operations against Iran on March 17, 2026, hours after National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent resigned in protest.
In a statement posted on X, Gabbard affirmed Trump’s authority as commander in chief, writing that he is “responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat” and that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence exists to provide him with the best available intelligence. She added: “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 conclusion.”
Kent, a former Green Beret and CIA officer who had served as a top aide to Gabbard, announced his resignation earlier that day, stating Iran “posed no imminent threat to our nation” and that the conflict was driven by Israeli pressure rather than U.S. interests.
The two had long shared similar anti-interventionist views on Iran, with Gabbard repeatedly warning against regime-change wars and unnecessary escalations in the Middle East. Kent echoed those concerns in his resignation letter.
President Trump responded directly to Kent’s departure, posting on Truth Social: “Good thing he’s out,” and later telling reporters that Kent was “very weak on security.”
Kent’s resignation marks the first high-level departure from the Trump administration explicitly tied to disagreement over the Iran conflict. Gabbard’s statement did not mention Kent by name. No successor for the NCTC director position has been announced.