Top US Counterterrorism Chief Joe Kent Resigns Over Trump’s War in Iran
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Top US Counterterrorism Chief Joe Kent Resigns Over Trump’s War in Iran
3 min readUpdated: Mar 17, 2026 10:33 PM IST
Joseph Kent, the head of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned Tuesday, becoming the first and highest-ranking official in US President Donald Trump’s administration to step down over the ongoing war in Iran.
In his resignation letter, shared on X, Kent said he could not support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an immediate threat to the United States. He also claimed the war was initiated under pressure from Israel and its influential lobby.
Legal experts have pointed out that under current laws, the US would need to establish an imminent threat before engaging in war. The White House and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today.
I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this… pic.twitter.com/prtu86DpEr
— Joe Kent (@joekent16jan19) March 17, 2026
The sudden resignation reportedly caught intelligence officials off guard. Kent is known to be close to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who has maintained a low profile since the conflict began.
Trump’s Iran War: Dissent from Within
Profile
Joe Kent — NCTC Director
Joe Kent served as head of the National Counterterrorism Center, the agency tasked with analyzing and detecting terrorist threats. He was confirmed to the post on a 52–44 vote. Before joining Trump’s administration, he ran two unsuccessful campaigns for Congress in Washington state.
11
Military deployments as a Green Beret
52–44
Senate confirmation vote
2
Failed Congress campaigns in Washington state
Controversies
PB
Paid a Proud Boys member for consulting
During his 2022 congressional campaign, Kent paid Graham Jorgensen — a member of the far-right Proud Boys — for consulting work, and worked closely with Patriot Prayer founder Joey Gibson.
J6
Refused to disavow Jan. 6 conspiracy
At his Senate confirmation hearing, Kent declined to distance himself from claims that federal agents instigated the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, or that Trump won the 2020 election.
Resignation
Kent says he “cannot in good conscience” back the war
Kent announced his resignation on Tuesday, citing deep concerns about the justification for U.S. military strikes in Iran. He stated publicly that Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States, and directly named Israeli pressure and its American lobby as the reason the war began.
“Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
— Joe Kent, resignation statement
Speaker’s framing
Johnson: Israel was going to act alone
House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested the White House believed Israel was determined to strike Iran independently, leaving Trump with a “very difficult decision” — effectively cornering the U.S. into joining the strikes.
Then vs. Now
Gabbard once called an Iran war a catastrophe. Now she’s silent.
Tulsi Gabbard, now Director of National Intelligence under Trump, has not posted about Iran on social media since the strikes began last month. Her office declined to say whether she supports them.
“An all out war with Iran would make the wars that we’ve seen in Iraq and Afghanistan look like a picnic. It will be far more costly in lives, American lives, and American taxpayer dollars — and all towards accomplishing what goal?”
— Tulsi Gabbard, six years ago
What’s coming
▶
Testimony due this week
Gabbard is scheduled to testify before lawmakers alongside CIA Director Ratcliffe and FBI Director Patel at the annual threat hearing — now dominated by questions about the Iran war.
165+
School strike likely to dominate hearing
Outdated U.S. intelligence is believed to have led to a missile striking an Iranian elementary school, killing more than 165 people. Lawmakers are expected to press Gabbard on this directly.
Significance
Dissent is coming from Trump’s own flank
Kent’s resignation is not from a Democrat or a centrist — it is from a figure confirmed by a Republican Senate, with deep military-intelligence credentials and ties to the MAGA base. His public break signals that unease about the Iran war extends to the right of Trump’s coalition.
Unlikely alignment
Kent and Warner agree: no imminent threat existed
Sen. Mark Warner — the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee and a longtime Kent critic — validated the core of Kent’s resignation, stating there was no credible evidence of an imminent Iranian threat to justify the strikes. The left and the far-right are on the same page.
Sources: Associated Press · US Senate confirmation records
How Trump reacted
“When I read his statement, I thought it was a good thing he’s out, because he said Iran was not a threat… Every country realised what a threat Iran was – the question was whether they wanted to do something about it,” Trump told reporters.
Resignation signals unease within Trump’s base
Kent, confirmed last July in a 52-44 vote, headed the agency responsible for analysing terrorist threats. His resignation highlights growing discomfort within President Donald Trump’s support base and senior administration ranks over the rationale behind the war.
Move comes amid rising domestic security concerns
The leadership change comes at a time of heightened concern over terrorism in the US, following recent attacks at a Michigan synagogue and a Virginia university.
Trump offers shifting stance
Trump has given varying explanations for the strikes and rejected claims that Israel pushed the US into action. House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested the administration believed Israel might act independently, leaving Trump with a “very difficult decision.”
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No immediate response from White House, DNI office
A spokesperson for Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and the White House did not immediately respond to queries on Kent’s resignation.
Democrats opposed Kent, but back his Iran stance
Democrats had earlier opposed Kent’s confirmation over his alleged ties to far-right figures. However, after his resignation, Senator Mark Warner said Kent was right on Iran, noting there was no credible evidence of an imminent threat.
(With inputs from Reuters and AP)
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