Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., this week pressed Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on the resignation of Joe Kent from his post as head of the National Counterterrorism Center.

On Thursday, Gabbard appeared before the House in a hearing that saw Stefanik ask her about Kent's assertions. 

"Does that statement he made blaming Israel concern you?" Stefanik asked Gabbard.

"Yes," was her reply.

Stefanik was referring to an excerpt from Kent's resignation letter that read:

Early in this administration, high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war with Iran. This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that should you strike now, there was a clear path to a swift victory. This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women. We cannot make this mistake again.

Kent stepped down earlier this week, publishing his resignation letter to social media and blaming Israel for dragging the U.S. into the Iran War. He urged President Donald Trump to reverse course on the conflict and warned that Trump's advisors had filled his head with false promises of an easy victory.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.