Tipsheet

Dan Bongino Shreds Joe Kent

Dmitri Bolt
Dmitri Bolt  |  March 18, 2026 11:00 AM

Former Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino tore into former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent on Tuesday, blasting his baseless resignation letter after Kent claimed Iran posed no immediate threat to the United States and accused Israel of influencing President Trump to launch Operation Epic Fury. 

Bongino argued there was ample evidence to justify the operation and questioned how Kent could have reached such a different conclusion.

"It's a tough story to read. But, you know, again, as I've said, the sacrifice is beyond reproach. That doesn't mean that this current opinion is any more fact-based, because it's not." Bongino said. "I'm really sorry, Laura. I mean, I read probably a lot more intelligence than he did, because they don't have a law enforcement function, the National Counterterrorism Center. They're an analytical clearinghouse."

They're valuable. However, I had access to just about everything. And how you could come to the conclusion that the Israelis did it and there was no imminent threat here? Really? What about the anti-ship ballistic missiles, the drone program, 440 kilograms of 60 percent enriched nuclear material, their constant death-to-America chant? I mean, you know, that's called evidence. In some limited circles, we call that, you know, a clue. I mean, I don't know at what point you thought this wasn't an imminent threat, after you've read a lot of the stuff I read. 

"And by the way, that's just the open-store stuff we can talk about on the air," the former deputy FBI director added. "I promise you, the president—I promise you—has a bevy of material that if he could do the men-in-black thing and erase your mind tomorrow, if he told you right now, you would come to the imminent threat conclusion in a snap."

Kent’s resignation has sparked a firestorm online, as he had previously appeared to support the president’s approach to Iran, including targeted strikes against top terrorists. It remains unclear why he now views Operation Epic Fury as anything other than a series of sustained surgical strikes, or what prompted such a sudden shift in his foreign policy stance. 

Questions have also emerged about whether Kent could be a potential source for leaks to Tucker Carlson, particularly after reports that he was barred from listening in on the president’s intelligence briefings and that concerns about him were raised with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. 

Further scrutiny has followed news that Kent is expected to appear on Tucker Carlson’s show this week and is scheduled to speak alongside Candace Owens and Carrie Prejean Boller, both of whom have been recently amplifying antisemitic rhetoric surrounding Israel.