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The director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, resigned Tuesday in protest of the ongoing U.S. war with Iran, saying he could not support the conflict and arguing Tehran posed no immediate threat to the United States.
“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent wrote in a resignation statement posted publicly, adding that “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation.”
Kent, a retired Green Beret and longtime ally of President Donald Trump, also claimed the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its U.S.-based supporters — a charge the administration has rejected.
First major resignation tied to conflict
Kent’s departure marks the first high-level resignation within the administration directly tied to the Iran war, now entering its third week.
The White House has defended the military campaign, saying it was based on intelligence indicating a potential imminent threat from Iran.
Trump, however, dismissed Kent following his resignation, calling him “weak on security” and suggesting his exit was beneficial for the administration.
Break with administration and allies
In a letter addressed to Trump, Kent said he supported the president’s “America First” foreign policy during his first term but argued the current war represents a departure from that approach.
He warned against “sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people,” underscoring a growing divide within the administration over Middle East policy.
Kent had served under Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, another figure known for skepticism of U.S. military interventions abroad. Gabbard has not publicly commented on Kent’s resignation.
Background and controversy
A decorated Army Special Forces veteran with more than a decade of combat deployments, Kent later worked for the CIA and was confirmed to lead the counterterrorism center in 2025.
His tenure was not without controversy. Critics raised concerns about his political views and past statements, including his characterization of some Jan. 6 defendants as “political prisoners” and reported efforts to influence intelligence assessments.
His resignation now places renewed scrutiny on internal disagreements over intelligence and the justification for the Iran conflict.
Broader implications
Kent’s exit highlights deepening fractures within the administration’s national security apparatus as the war continues.
Analysts say the resignation could intensify congressional scrutiny over the intelligence used to justify military action — particularly Kent’s assertion that Iran did not pose an imminent threat, directly contradicting the administration’s public rationale.
The move may also embolden critics of the war across both parties, while raising new questions about the stability and cohesion of U.S. national security leadership during a major international conflict.
