Mike Johnson rejects Joe Kent’s Iran claims: 'There was clearly an imminent threat'

WASHINGTON, DC: Speaker Mike Johnson addressed recent remarks on the Iran war made by former Director of the United States National Counterterrorism Center Joe Kent during an appearance on 'Hannity' on Fox News on Wednesday, March 18. 

Johnson rejected Kent’s assertion that Iran posed "no imminent threat" and dismissed claims that the conflict was influenced by Israeli lobbying within the Trump administration. His remarks come amid growing debate within the US over the intelligence and rationale behind the military operation.

Mike Johnson defends intelligence and threat assessment on Iran

Responding to a question from host Sean Hannity on "how Iran did not constitute an imminent threat," Johnson said, “Yeah, that's a great question. I'm not sure what Joe Kent is reading, but it's not the same intel that I've seen.”

He underscored his position by noting his role within the Gang of Eight, a bipartisan group of eight top-ranking US congressional leaders, stating that he "had access to all classified briefings before, during, and after the operation."

Johnson described the intelligence as “exquisite,” asserting that it clearly indicated an imminent threat to the US and its interests. 

He maintained, "The Commander-in-Chief did exactly the right thing. He had to protect American lives. We knew that those ballistic missiles that they were stockpiling and preparing were going to be fired at our troops and our civilians and our installations in the region, and so the Commander-in-Chief did what he had to do."

He further remarked that Kent’s position appeared to have shifted abruptly, calling him “an outlier” and stating that others within the administration who had access to intelligence supported the decision.

In a press conference previously, Johnson also questioned Kent’s access to classified information, stating, “I don’t know where Joe Kent is getting his information, but he wasn’t in those briefings, clearly.”

Joe Kent’s resignation and dispute over Israel influence claims

Kent’s remarks came in a resignation letter posted online approximately an hour before Johnson’s comments, in which he stated that Iran posed “no imminent threat” to the US. He also alleged that the administration “started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”

Johnson rejected this claim, calling the notion that US policy was driven by foreign interests “clearly wrong.” The White House dismissed Kent’s assertions, stating that the president had “compelling evidence” of an impending Iranian attack. 

In his letter addressed to President Donald Trump, Kent further alleged that “high-ranking Israeli officials” and influential US journalists had created an “echo chamber” of misinformation that misled the president into believing an imminent threat existed, calling it “a lie.”

Kent, a long-time Trump supporter who was narrowly confirmed to his role after being nominated early in the administration, had previously drawn attention during his confirmation hearings. He declined to renounce claims regarding federal involvement in the January 2021 Capitol riot and questioned the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

Notably, some top Democrats who were also part of the Gang of Eight briefings have contradicted Johnson’s account, stating they were not presented with evidence indicating an imminent Iranian attack.