Dan Caldwell, a former Pentagon official known for his critical stance on U.S. military interventions, particularly regarding Iran, has reportedly been appointed by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
This announcement coincides with the resignation of one of Gabbard’s senior aides, Joe Kent, who stepped down in opposition to the ongoing conflict in Iran.
Caldwell, a Marine Corps veteran with service in Iraq, previously served as a key adviser to War Secretary Pete Hegseth. His tenure was interrupted last April when he was placed on administrative leave due to a leak investigation. However, it seems that Caldwell has since been cleared of any wrongdoing in that investigation.
As a vocal proponent of cautious foreign policy, Caldwell has consistently advocated for restraint.
In a conversation with Tucker Carlson last June, amid the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, Caldwell cautioned that a U.S. “conventional strike” on Iran could lead to “potentially catastrophic” consequences in terms of human lives, financial costs, and regional stability.
Following President Trump’s directive for airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities the next month, Caldwell contended that while a nuclear-armed Iran is far from ideal, it does not constitute an existential threat to the United States.
“Israel might view the threat posed by a nuclear Iran differently,” the former Pentagon official wrote in an op-ed for Defense Priorities, “but the interests of a US partner — one that itself has nuclear weapons and receives significant U.S. military aid — should not solely drive the US posture in the region.”
Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center under Gabbard, posted his resignation letter on X Monday, writing: “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,” Kent wrote.
In a probe that predates his departure, the FBI is investigating allegations Kent improperly shared classified information, Semafor reported on Wednesday.
A source familiar with the leak probe confirmed its existence to The Post.
Like Caldwell, Kent was interviewed by Carlson — another Iran war skeptic — after his exit from the Trump administration.
Kent told the conservative commentator that an imminent threat from Islamic regime “simply did not exist” before Trump ordered the Feb. 28 joint attack on Iran.
The former counterterrorism official further claimed “the Israelis drove the decision.”
Kent also alleged the US had “no intelligence” that Iran was close to developing a nuclear weapon before the start of Operation Epic Fur
“No, they weren’t three weeks ago when this started, and they weren’t in June, either,” Kent told Carlson, adding that “there wasn’t a robust debate” within the Trump administration before the decision was made to bomb the US adversary.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
