White House Rejects Claim Iran Posed No Immediate Threat After Counterterrorism Chief Resigns

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The White House on Tuesday pushed back strongly against claims that Joe Kent made in his resignation letter, after the outgoing National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) director said he could not support the ongoing U.S. war with Iran and argued the country posed no imminent threat to the United States.

In a post on X responding to Kent’s letter, Karoline Leavitt, Assistant to the President and the 36th White House Press Secretary, dismissed the claim as false and defended the decision by Donald Trump to authorize military action.

“There are many false claims in this letter, but let me address one specifically: that ‘Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation,’” Leavitt wrote. “This is the same false claim that Democrats and some in the liberal media have been repeating over and over.”

Leavitt said Trump had “strong and compelling evidence” indicating Iran was preparing to attack the United States first. According to her statement, the intelligence assessment was compiled from multiple sources and strategic indicators, adding that the president would never deploy military assets against a foreign adversary without a substantial evidentiary basis.

The White House also reiterated its long-standing position that Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, accusing Tehran of killing Americans, waging proxy warfare against U.S. interests, and openly threatening the country before the launch of Operation Epic Fury.

Leavitt argued that Iran had been rapidly expanding its short-range ballistic missile arsenal while integrating those capabilities with naval forces. She said the development aimed to create a deterrent shield that would allow the Iranian government to act with greater impunity while pursuing its ultimate objective of acquiring nuclear weapons.

According to the White House account, the Trump administration had offered Iran several opportunities to abandon its nuclear ambitions through diplomatic negotiations.

These proposals included sanctions relief, access to civilian nuclear fuel, and the prospect of economic partnerships with the United States, Leavitt said.

However, she claimed Tehran refused the proposals because its “fundamental goal” remained the acquisition of nuclear weapons. As a result, Trump concluded that a joint military operation with Israel would significantly reduce the risk to American lives and preempt what he viewed as an imminent threat.

“All of this led to President Trump arriving at the determination that this military operation was necessary for U.S. national security,” Leavitt wrote, describing Operation Epic Fury as “massively successful.”

Leavitt also rejected allegations that Trump had been influenced by foreign governments or external political pressure when deciding to authorize the operation. She called the suggestion “absurd,” emphasizing that Trump had for decades maintained the position that Iran should never possess a nuclear weapon.

“As someone who actually witnesses President Trump’s decision-making process daily, I can attest to the fact that he is always looking to do what’s in the best interest of the United States of America — period,” she added, concluding the statement with the phrase “America First.”

Kent’s resignation earlier Tuesday highlighted growing internal disagreement within Washington over the U.S. military campaign against Iran. In his post on X, the former NCTC director said he had decided to step down after “much reflection,” stating he could not support the ongoing war.

“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent wrote. “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”

Kent nevertheless expressed appreciation for his time in government service, saying it had been an honor to serve under Trump and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard while leading the counterterrorism professionals at the National Counterterrorism Center.

He concluded his message by wishing the country well, writing, “May God bless America.”