Joe Kent, the director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, resigned on Tuesday morning in protest of the ongoing US war with Iran. In a resignation letter addressed to President Donald Trump, Kent stated that Tehran posed no imminent threat to the United States.
Kent wrote that he “cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people.” He is the first senior official of Trump’s second administration to resign in protest of the conflict.
In a message posted to social media, Kent explicitly blamed the conflict on pressure from Israel and its American lobby. He stated that an echo chamber of high-ranking Israeli officials and US media used a misinformation campaign to deceive the administration into believing Iran was an easy target with a clear path to victory. The resignation arrives as Trump recently criticized traditional partners on the world stage, specifically naming NATO, Australia, Japan, and South Korea, stating the US did not need their help after they declined to join the military campaign.
Yes, Joe Kent, the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), resigned on March 17, 2026.
He stated in a resignation letter posted on X that he could not "in good conscience" support the ongoing war with Iran, which began on February 28, 2026.
— Pankaj Pal (@pankajj_pal) March 17, 2026
Congressional leadership issued statements regarding the resignation. House Speaker Mike Johnson publicly rejected Kent’s assessment of the Iranian threat, referencing Gang of Eight intelligence briefings that showed Iran was very close to enriching nuclear capabilities.
Trump also publicly disputed the narrative that Israel forced Washington’s involvement. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, the president stated he acted preemptively and indicated he might have forced Israel’s hand instead.
Kent is a former CIA officer and Green Beret with 11 combat deployments. He was confirmed to the counterterrorism post in July 2025 by a 52-44 Senate vote following heavy Democratic opposition regarding his ties to right-wing groups. Kent is also a Gold Star husband; his first wife, Shannon Kent, was killed in a 2019 suicide bombing in Syria. In his resignation letter, Kent also characterized that previous Syrian conflict as being manufactured by Israel.