Tulsi Gabbard Defends Trump After Scathing Remarks By Counterterrorism Chief
WASHINGTON, DC -Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard defended President Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iran, after National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) Director Joe Kent resigned in protest, marking the first high-level exit from the administration over the war.
Donald Trump “was overwhelmingly elected by the American people to be our President and Commander in Chief,” Gabbard said. “As our Commander in Chief, he is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat, and whether or not to take action he deems necessary to protect the safety and security of our troops, the American people, and our country.”
Gabbard, the highest-ranking Hindu American in any presidential administration, stressed that the decision was based on intelligence assessments. “The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is responsible for helping coordinate and integrate all intelligence to provide the President and Commander in Chief with the best information available to inform his decisions.”
“After carefully reviewing all the information before him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent threat and he took action based on that conclusion.”
The remarks came after Kent announced his resignation. “After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today,” he said.
Kent directly challenged the basis of the war. “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. 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.”
The White House also rejected Kent’s claims. “There are many false claims in this letter, but let me address one specifically: that ‘Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation,’” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
Trump himself criticized Kent following the resignation. “It’s a good thing that he’s out because he said Iran was not a threat. Every country recognized Iran was a threat,” he told reporters.
“I always thought he was a nice guy. But I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security,” Trump said, adding, “When I read a statement, I realized that it’s a good thing that he’s out because he said that Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat.”
The resignation triggered sharp reactions on Capitol Hill. Kent’s exit underscores growing divisions in Washington over the intelligence and justification behind the Iran conflict. (IANS)
