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WASHINGTON — The director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), Joe Kent, announced his resignation on Tuesday, citing his opposition to the Trump administration’s war with Iran and accusing Israel of pressuring the United States into the conflict .
Kent, a former Army Green Beret and CIA officer who was appointed by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the Senate last July, made the announcement in a post on X .
The Resignation Letter
In his letter addressed to President Trump, Kent wrote that he could not “in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran” . He argued that Tehran “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” .
Kent alleged that “high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign” that undermined Trump’s “America First” platform and encouraged war with Iran . He described this as an “echo chamber” that deceived the president into believing that Iran was an imminent threat .
A Gold Star Husband’s Painful Decision
Kent’s opposition to the war is deeply personal. A decorated combat veteran with 11 deployments, he lost his wife, Navy cryptologic technician Shannon Kent, in a 2019 suicide bombing in Syria . In his letter, he referred to her as his “beloved wife Shannon” and described her death as occurring in a “war manufactured by Israel” .
“I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives,” Kent wrote .
Expanding Fissures in Trump’s Coalition
Kent is the first Trump administration official to resign over the Iran war, exposing growing divisions within the president’s coalition . He is a close friend of Tucker Carlson, the Trump ally who has emerged as the war’s sharpest critic .
Carlson praised Kent’s resignation, telling The New York Times: “Joe is the bravest man I know, and he can’t be dismissed as a nut. He’s leaving a job that gave him access to highest-level relevant intelligence” .
Kent served as a key adviser to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who is known for championing a staunchly isolationist foreign policy . Administration officials have noted that Gabbard has been “almost completely shut out” of sensitive operational discussions on Iran in recent months .
A Contested Tenure
Kent was a controversial figure long before joining the administration. His 2025 Senate confirmation passed 52-44 along party lines, with Democrats criticizing his past associations with far-right groups and embrace of conspiracy theories . He had previously run two unsuccessful campaigns for Congress in Washington state .
The White House and Office of the Director of National Intelligence have not yet publicly responded to Kent’s resignation . It remains unclear who will assume leadership of the NCTC during the ongoing conflict .
