US President Donald Trump reacted strongly to the resignation of Joe Kent, head of a key anti-terror body. Kent stepped down over disagreements on the Iran war. Trump called Kent’s exit a “good thing.” He criticised Kent’s view that Iran posed “no imminent threat” to the United States. Trump said he always saw Kent as a “nice guy,” but believed he was “weak on security.”
“When I read his statement, I realized that it's a good thing that he's out because he said that Iran was not a threat,” Trump said.
He also defended his position on Iran. “Every country realises what a threat Iran was, the question is whether or not they wanted to do something about it,” he added.
White House Rejects Kent’s Claims
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed Kent’s resignation letter. She said it contained several “false claims,” especially the statement that Iran posed no immediate danger.
She stressed that Trump had strong evidence suggesting Iran planned to attack the United States.
“This is the same false claim that Democrats and some in the liberal media have been repeating over and over. As President Trump has clearly and explicitly stated, he had strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first,” Leavitt said in a post on X.
‘Iranian Regime Is Evil,’ Says White House
Leavitt strongly criticised Iran’s leadership. She described the country as a major global sponsor of terrorism. She said Trump would not deploy military forces without careful consideration. Leavitt insisted the decision was based on clear intelligence, not external pressure.
“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 claimed.
Trump Has Final Say on Threats
Leavitt also emphasised the authority of the US President. She said only the Commander-in-Chief has the power to decide what counts as a threat. She added that the American people have given Trump that responsibility through elections.
“And finally, the absurd allegation that President Trump made this decision based on the influence of others, even foreign countries, is both insulting and laughable. President Trump has been remarkably consistent and has said for DECADES that Iran can NEVER possess a nuclear weapon,” she added.