Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), announced his resignation effective immediately, citing deep opposition to U.S. involvement in a war with Iran, according to a letter he released on X.
Kent, a former Army Special Forces soldier and CIA officer appointed by President Donald Trump, said he could “not in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” arguing that Tehran posed “no imminent threat” to the United States. In his resignation letter, Kent claimed the conflict was driven by “pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
The NCTC operates under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and plays a central role in analyzing and coordinating the U.S. government’s counterterrorism efforts.
In the letter, Kent expressed continued support for Trump’s broader foreign policy agenda but suggested the administration had shifted course in recent months. He wrote that earlier in Trump’s leadership, there was an understanding that prolonged conflicts in the Middle East drained American lives and resources.
Kent also alleged that “high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media” contributed to a “misinformation campaign” that shaped perceptions of Iran as an imminent threat, comparing the situation to the lead-up to the Iraq War.
A decorated combat veteran, Kent referenced his personal experiences in war, including multiple deployments and the death of his wife, Shannon Kent, a U.S. service member killed in Syria in 2019. He said those experiences informed his opposition to what he described as another unnecessary conflict.
“As a veteran who deployed to combat 11 times and as a Gold Star husband… I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people,” he wrote.
Kent urged the president to reconsider the current course, warning of long-term consequences if the conflict continues.
“It was an honor to serve in your administration and to serve our great nation,” he concluded.
Kent had been tapped by Trump to lead the NCTC, with the president previously praising his experience combating terrorism and his personal sacrifice. Prior to his appointment, Kent ran unsuccessfully for Congress in Washington state’s 3rd District in 2022 and 2024 and served as a foreign policy advisor to Trump’s 2020 campaign.
It is unclear who will assume leadership of the NCTC following Kent’s departure. Don Holstead had previously been serving as acting director pending Senate confirmation of Kent’s nomination.
The White House and Office of the Director of National Intelligence have not yet publicly responded to Kent’s resignation.
