Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), resigned on Tuesday (March 17), saying he “cannot in good conscience” support the Trump administration’s ongoing war with Iran.
Kent, an Oregon native and former Green Beret, posted his resignation on X, declaring that Iran “posed no imminent threat to our nation,” and that the war was started “due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
In a lengthy post, Kent accused high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media of running a “misinformation campaign” that pushed the United States toward conflict. “This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that should you strike now, there was a clear path to a swift victory,” he wrote, addressing President Donald Trump directly. “This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war.”
Kent’s departure comes weeks after a series of U.S. strikes on Iran sparked an ongoing regional conflict that has led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical trade route for oil and other goods. With oil prices rising, President Trump has demanded that roughly a half-dozen countries send warships to keep the strait open, though those appeals have drawn no immediate commitments.
As NCTC director, Kent led the agency responsible for analyzing and detecting terrorist threats. He was confirmed to the post last July on a 52-44 vote, with Democrats strongly opposing his nomination due to his past ties to far-right figures and conspiracy theories. Republicans, meanwhile, praised his counterterrorism credentials. Sen. Tom Cotton, the GOP chair of the Senate intelligence committee, had said during Kent’s confirmation that Kent “dedicated his career to fighting terrorism and keeping Americans safe.”
Before joining the Trump administration, Kent served 11 deployments as a Green Beret and later worked at the CIA. He ran two unsuccessful congressional campaigns in Washington state’s third district, losing both times to Marie Gluesenkamp Perez.
A spokesperson for Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard did not immediately respond to questions about the resignation. The White House also had no immediate comment.
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