The United States’ top counterterrorism official, Joe Kent, has resigned from his position in protest over the ongoing war with Iran, calling on President Donald Trump to “change course.”
In a resignation letter published on his X account, Kent—who served as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center—argued that Iran posed “no immediate threat” to the United States. He further claimed that the Trump administration had entered the conflict under pressure from Israel and its influential lobbying networks in Washington.
Kent, 45, is a veteran of U.S. special forces and the CIA. His wife, Shannon Kent, a Navy cryptologic technician, was killed in a suicide bombing in Syria in 2019. The BBC reported that the White House has been contacted for comment regarding his resignation.
In his letter, Kent stated that as recently as June 2025, he believed Trump understood that prolonged wars in the Middle East cost American lives and weakened the country’s economic strength. However, he accused “senior Israeli officials” and influential U.S. media figures of spreading “disinformation” that he claims led Trump to abandon his “America First” platform.
“This echo chamber was used to mislead you into believing that Iran posed an immediate threat to the United States,” Kent wrote. “That was a lie.”
A long-time Trump supporter, Kent was narrowly confirmed to the role in July last year. His appointment drew criticism from Democrats, who raised concerns about his alleged connections to extremist groups, including individuals associated with the Proud Boys.
During his confirmation hearings, Kent also refused to retract claims that federal agents had played a role in the January 6 Capitol attack, or that Trump had won the 2020 presidential election.
His resignation adds to growing divisions within U.S. leadership over the Iran conflict and raises fresh questions about the direction of American foreign policy.
