White House Response to Resignation of Counterterrorism Official
On Tuesday, White House press secretary Caroline Levitt asserted that President Donald Trump has “strong and convincing evidence” suggesting that Iran plans to launch an attack on the United States. This statement was made in response to what Levitt called “false claims” made in the resignation letter of Joe Kent, the nation’s top counterterrorism official.
Earlier that day, Kent announced on X that he was resigning, expressing that he couldn’t “in good conscience” support the ongoing war against Iran. He argued that “Iran poses no imminent threat to our country” and claimed that the conflict was driven by pressure from Israel and its influential American supporters.
Levitt countered, focusing on one particular assertion in Kent’s letter: “Iran poses no imminent threat to our country.” According to her, this is a “false claim” repeated by Democrats and certain liberal media outlets. “As President Trump has clearly stated, he had strong and convincing evidence that Iran intended to attack the United States first,” she added.
Kent’s resignation has sparked a variety of reactions, with Trump seemingly pleased with the outcome. In fact, he reportedly stated, “I’m glad he’s gone.”
Levitt elaborated that the evidence supporting the president’s stance comes from multiple sources and factors, emphasizing that Trump would never make military decisions lightly. She noted, “Iran is one of the world’s leading state sponsors of terrorism,” a sentiment echoed by House members who previously passed a resolution reflecting this view.
She continued, condemning the Iranian regime, describing it as “evil” and highlighting that it has been responsible for the deaths of Americans and has repeatedly threatened U.S. interests.
“Iran has aggressively expanded its short-range ballistic missile capabilities and paired them with naval assets,” Levitt stated. This combination grants Iran some capability to “hold the world hostage,” she further explained. Kent’s resignation was framed by some as undermining a critical U.S. national security interest.
Levitt concluded that Trump determined that a joint strike with Israel was essential to mitigate risks to American lives posed by Iran’s regime and to secure U.S. national security. She dismissed Kent’s suggestion that Trump’s decisions were influenced by external parties as “insulting and laughable.”
Levitt reaffirmed Trump’s long-standing position against Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, stating, “He is always trying to do what is in the best interest of America: America First.”
