Karoline Leavitt Calls Counterterrorism Director’s Resignation to President Donald Trump ‘Laughable’

After Joe Kent resigned from his position as director of the United States National Counterterrorism Center, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had a few thoughts on the matter.

Kent, who was appointed by President Donald Trump (even though the 79-year-old president has now said he felt he’s “weak on security”), shared his resignation letter via X on Tuesday, March 17, citing the United States and Israel’s joint attacks on Iran as his reason for leaving.

“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent, 45, 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.”

Leavitt, 28, previously stated that the Apprentice alum chose to launch Operation Epic Fury “because he felt as though Iran was going to strike the United States and our assets in the region first.”

When asked by reporters about Kent’s resignation on Wednesday, March 18, Leavitt said Trump gave him a “chance” because he thought he “was a good guy.”

However, Leavitt said, “the president feels it’s deeply disappointing that after the president gave him an opportunity in this administration to serve the American people that he would resign with a letter filled with falsehoods, accusing the president of the United States [of] being controlled by a foreign country.”

“That’s both insulting and laughable all at the same time,” she said. “The president is the leader of the most powerful country and military in the world. Nobody tells him what to do.”

Leavitt said that, “unfortunately,” Kent “was not up for the job,” adding: “We don’t want somebody leading a counterterrorism task force who cannot agree that the No. 1 state sponsor of terror in this world did not pose a threat to the United States.”

Leavitt concluded by doubling down that Kent’s resignation letter was “riddled with lies.”

Kent is the first senior administration official to resign over the United States’ military operations in Iran.

In his resignation letter addressed to Trump, he said, “You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos. You hold the cards.”