United States National Counterterrorism Center Director Joseph Kent has resigned from his position, citing strong opposition to the ongoing war with Iran.
In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent said he could not support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States.
“After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today,” read part of the statement.
Joseph Kent Says Iran Posed No Immediate Threat to U.S
Kent stated that he was stepping down from the counterterrorism role after what he described as a deep reflection on Trump’s administration’s decision to go to war with Iran.
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He argued that the United States had entered the conflict without sufficient justification.
“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,” the statement read.
Kent urged President Trump to reconsider the direction of U.S. policy in the Middle East.
He referenced Trump’s earlier foreign policy messaging and argued that the current conflict contradicts the “America First” approach that emphasized avoiding prolonged wars in the region.
According to Kent, during Trump’s earlier presidency, the administration showed how military force could be used decisively without becoming entangled in long wars.
He also called on the president to rethink the current strategy, warning that the United States risked repeating past mistakes.
“I support the values and the foreign policies that you campaigned on in 2016, 2020, 2024, which you enacted in your first term. Until June of 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trap that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation. In your first administration, you understood better than any modern President how to decisively apply military power without getting us drawn into never-ending wars. You demonstrated this by killing Qasam Solamani and by defeating ISIS, added Kent.
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Kent, a former U.S. Army Green Beret and CIA paramilitary officer, was confirmed as director of the National Counterterrorism Center in July 2025.
The agency is responsible for integrating intelligence and coordinating U.S. counterterrorism efforts across government agencies.
Before joining the administration, he served for more than two decades in the military and completed 11 combat deployments.
His wife, Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent, was killed in a suicide bombing in Syria in 2019 while on active duty.
