Joe Kent, the US National Counterterrorism Center director, has said that their recent report confirms that al-Qaida operatives are present and planning attacks in US cities, citing verified intelligence.
Kent made the remarks in response to criticism from American journalist Laura Loomer on X. Loomer alleged the NCTC failed to identify al-Qaida as an “Islamic terrorist organization” in its official threat assessment, instead referring to the group as “violent extremists.”
Kent defended the center’s report and operations during the Trump administration, writing on X: “NCTC’s work under President Trump is unassailable, and your false narrative is a distraction. Our recent report is based on verified intelligence from multiple disciplines confirming al-Qaida’s presence and planning across U.S. cities.”
He added: “The document describes the current threat from al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, referred to as AQAP, as most Americans are familiar with the al-Qaida terrorist group and its Islamic jihadi terrorist ideology. Al-Qaida’s status as a foreign terrorist organization is ironclad, and our record — smashing plots like the Tajik ISIS cell in June 2025 — speaks for itself.”
Kent also addressed Loomer’s reference to the fifth page of the report, which outlines various target categories.
“The fifth page you reference refers to different categories of targets that most violent extremists would want to target, including AQ. These targets are not unique to AQ, reflecting a broader threat landscape we address daily,” he said.
“This is not a debate over semantics; it’s a war on terror, especially and including Islamist terrorism, we’re committed to winning under Trump’s leadership. The American people deserve action, not distractions,” Kent wrote.
The controversy comes amid renewed global concerns about al-Qaida’s operations following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan. United Nations Security Council sanctions committees have previously reported that al-Qaida has established safe havens and training facilities in Afghanistan.
Taliban have denied the reports. However, international watchdogs continue to assert that the group has not severed ties with al-Qaida and continues to provide it with support and access.
