The chief of staff to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told lawmakers Wednesday that the U.S. intelligence community is investigating whether the FBI played a role in planning the events at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
He said that warnings of potential violence suggested there had been “some degree of intelligence infiltration” within the groups that attacked the Capitol. Kent added that it was “probably” the FBI’s Washington Field Office involved and noted the matter was “being looked into” by the intelligence community.
“We’re looking into it right now,” said Joseph Kent during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee to lead the National Counterterrorism Center. Kent claimed that elements within law enforcement, including the FBI, may have attempted to conceal the presence of informants among the crowd that breached the Capitol.
Pressed on a prior social media post in which he alleged that the FBI and intelligence agencies helped orchestrate the events, Kent said, “We’ve already identified that there were multiple confidential human informants run by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies that were present in the crowd that day, directing, removing barriers, those types of things.” He added that the intelligence community continues to review that information.
A spokesperson for Gabbard pointed to her announcement this week of a new task force aimed at restoring public trust in the intelligence community by investigating politicization, declassifying relevant information, and implementing Trump-era executive orders.
Kent, a former Green Beret and CIA officer, has previously referred to the Capitol events as an “intelligence operation” and described those charged in the attack as “political prisoners.” He has also cast doubt on the legitimacy of President Biden’s election “victory.”
Democratic senators questioned Kent about his participation in a private Signal chat with other former Trump national security officials where plans were discussed for U.S. airstrikes against Houthi militants in Yemen. Kent said the materials in the chat were unclassified but declined to elaborate, citing ongoing litigation.
