Prime intelligence officers to testify earlier than Senate panel as Iran conflict escalates

Joe Kent, who led the Nationwide Counterterrorism Heart, resigned Tuesday, saying he “can’t in good conscience assist the continued conflict in Iran.” 

“Iran posed no imminent menace to our nation, and it’s clear that we began this conflict resulting from strain from Israel and its highly effective American foyer,” Kent wrote in his resignation letter to Mr. Trump. 

Kent accused high-ranking Israeli officers and a few within the media of waging a “misinformation marketing campaign” that was “used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent menace to america, and that ought to you strike now, there was a transparent path to a swift victory.” 

“This was a lie,” he stated, urging Mr. Trump to “mirror upon what we’re doing in Iran, and who we’re doing it for.” 

In a publish on X, Gabbard appeared to answer Kent’s letter, saying the president “is accountable for figuring out what’s and isn’t an imminent menace.” 

“After fastidiously reviewing all the knowledge earlier than him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent menace and he took motion based mostly on that conclusion,” she stated. 

Practically a yr earlier than the U.S. launched the present conflict towards Iran, the intelligence group stated in its annual evaluation that it continued “to evaluate Iran just isn’t constructing a nuclear weapon” and that then-Supreme Chief Ali Khamenei had not reauthorized this system, “although strain has most likely constructed on him to take action.” 

“Khamenei continues to need to keep away from embroiling Iran in an expanded, direct battle with america and its allies,” the March 2025 report stated. 

Just a few months later, the U.S. grew to become concerned within the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, bombing three Iranian nuclear websites, which Mr. Trump claimed had “obliterated” its nuclear program. 

For the reason that newest bombing marketing campaign towards Iran started on Feb. 28, which killed Khamenei, Mr. Trump and different administration officers have claimed that the regime posed an “imminent” menace to the U.S. 

The 2025 evaluation additionally warned that Iran had fielded a lot of ballistic and cruise missiles, in addition to unmanned drones, that had the power to strike all through the area. 

“Iran’s giant typical forces are able to inflicting substantial injury to an attacker, executing regional strikes, and disrupting transport, significantly power provides, by means of the Strait of Hormuz,” the report stated. 

Mr. Trump’s spy chiefs will testify to the Senate Intelligence Committee at its annual listening to on world safety threats dealing with the U.S. 

Their look comes as Democratic lawmakers name for Trump administration officers — particularly Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth — to reply questions in public in regards to the rationale for the conflict with Iran and the administration’s endgame. 

As a substitute, it will likely be Gabbard, Ratcliffe, Patel, Hartman and Adams within the sizzling seat because the timeline for the top of the conflict stays unclear, justifications for the army operation have shifted and U.S. allies are reluctant to become involved. 

The annual listening to usually focuses on threats from China, Russia and Iran, although final yr’s listening to was dominated by a Sign chat by which Trump officers mentioned delicate particulars about army strikes in Yemen.