The director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, which advises both US President Donald Trump and the Director of National Intelligence on the threat of terrorism, has resigned, citing the war with Iran.
In his resignation letter published in X, Joe Kent said he could not “in good conscience” support the ongoing war.
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“Iran is not an immediate threat to our country, and it is clear that we started this war under pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
“You understood that war in the Middle East was a trap that would deprive America of the lives of patriots and drain our nation of wealth and prosperity,” he wrote, pointing to President Trump’s past pledges to end U.S. foreign involvement.
The resignations are the most high-profile of the Trump administration since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28th.
It is also significant that Mr. Kent mentioned the term “imminent threat.”
Such an imminent situation is considered a prerequisite under U.S. law for the U.S. president to launch a military attack without Congressional approval. It is also important to carry out legitimate attacks against sovereign states based on international law.
Immediately afterwards, President Trump dismissed his resignation, telling reporters, “I’ve always thought he was weak on national security,” and “I don’t know him very well.”
Trump added: “It’s a good thing he left because he said Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat. Every country realized what a threat Iran was.”
Supported and nominated by Trump
Mr. Trump had previously nominated Mr. Kent to lead him after supporting Mr. Kent’s unsuccessful campaign for the House of Representatives.
Kent was previously a member of the U.S. Army Rangers and U.S. Special Forces, serving 11 combat deployments in the Middle East. His wife was killed by an Islamic State (ISIS) suicide bomber in Syria in 2019.
In his resignation letter, Kent mentioned his wife’s death, saying she was killed in a war “caused by Israel.”
“I cannot support sending the next generation to fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and justifies the sacrifice of American lives,” he wrote.
Thirteen American soldiers have died since the war began. At least 1,444 people were killed in Iran, 20 across the Gulf region and at least 15 in Israel.
In a statement after Kent was confirmed by the Senate in July, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard praised her as someone who has “consistently put country before self and endured great personal sacrifice in her service.”
“His experience serving as the tip of the spear in some of the world’s most dangerous battlefields has given him a deep and practical understanding of the persistent and evolving threat of Islamist terrorism and the threats we face from cartel human trafficking and drug trafficking operations,” she said.
Two Democratic senators opposed Kent’s nomination, citing his past support for President Trump’s baseless claims that the 2020 presidential election was “stolen” and his description of those arrested during the January 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol as “political prisoners.”
Sen. Patty Murray highlighted her past ties to far-right figures, including Nick Fuentes, saying she has a “track record of dealing with white supremacists.”
In May 2025, the New York Times reported that Kent pressured intelligence analysts to change their assessment of the relationship between the Venezuelan government and Torren de Aragua, contradicting Trump’s claims that the criminal organization was acting in direct coordination with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his top officials.
The incident preceded the abduction of President Maduro by US forces on January 3.
Will “America First” be undermined?
In his resignation letter, Kent also echoed the criticisms of several influential figures in President Trump’s so-called Make America Great Again movement (MAGA).
Many people criticize President Trump for going to war with Iran despite his campaign promise to end long-term US military involvement and put “America first.”
President Trump and his administration officials have repeatedly said the war will end within weeks, but analysts have warned that the violent conflict could last much longer. Congressional efforts to curb the war have faltered, with Republican lawmakers largely united around President Trump’s promises.
The administration has offered a litany of justifications for the attack, including claims about Iran’s missile and nuclear programs, but no evidence has been provided. They further argued that the entirety of Iran’s actions since the 1979 Islamic Revolution represent a current threat to the United States.
Kent praised Trump’s past military actions, including the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in 2020, as an example of the president knowing “how to use military force decisively without getting drawn into endless wars.”
But during President Trump’s second term, he said, “Israeli officials and influential members of the American media waged a misinformation campaign that completely undermined the America First platform and instilled pro-war sentiment in an effort to encourage war with Iran.”
“This echo chamber was used to convince us that Iran was an imminent threat to the United States, that we should attack it now, and that there was a clear path to a quick victory.”
He also urged President Trump to change course, writing, “You hold the cards.”
Tulsi Gabbard, the US Director of National Intelligence, has also criticized US involvement in the protracted conflicts in the Middle East. She has remained largely silent since the war began and did not immediately respond to Kent’s resignation.
