A top U.S. counterterrorism official has stepped down in protest of the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran, arguing that Tehran does not pose an immediate threat to America.
Donald Trump’s counterterrorism chief, Joseph Kent, resigned on Tuesday, citing strong opposition to the war. In his resignation letter, Kent said he could not support what he described as an unnecessary conflict.
“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” he wrote, insisting that Iran posed no imminent danger to the United States.
Kent, a former United States Army Special Forces member with multiple combat deployments, argued that the war was driven by external pressure rather than direct threats to U.S. security. He also claimed that misinformation influenced the decision to engage in the conflict.
At 45, Kent becomes the first senior official in Trump’s administration to resign over the war. He previously served as director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), where he coordinated responses to terrorist threats and advised the president.
Kent also reflected on personal loss, noting that his wife, Shannon Kent, a U.S. service member, was killed in a 2019 suicide bombing in Syria. He described himself as a “Gold Star husband” and said his experiences shaped his opposition to sending more Americans into conflict.
The NCTC operates under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, currently led by Tulsi Gabbard.
Before his national security role, Kent also worked as a paramilitary officer with the Central Intelligence Agency and later ran unsuccessfully for Congress in Washington state as a Republican candidate endorsed by Trump.
