WASHINGTON — Joe Kent, director of the US National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), has resigned in protest over the ongoing war on Iran, in a rare and direct challenge to the administration’s policy.
In a resignation letter addressed to President Donald Trump and made public on X, Kent wrote:
“After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today.”
He added:
“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation.”
Kent’s position is particularly significant given his role overseeing US counterterrorism intelligence and threat assessment.
‘Misinformation Campaign’
In his letter, Kent argued that the decision to go to war was shaped by external pressure and distorted narratives rather than objective threat analysis.
He wrote:
“It is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
Kent further stated:
“High-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform and sowed pro-war sentiments.”
He added that:
“This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States.”
Describing the justification for war, Kent wrote:
“This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war.”
A Veteran’s Warning
Kent framed his resignation in personal terms, drawing on his military experience and losses.
He wrote:
“As a veteran who deployed to combat 11 times and as a Gold Star husband who lost my beloved wife Shannon 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.”
He also warned about the long-term consequences of continued war, stating:
“The time for bold action is now. You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos.”
Growing Skepticism
Kent’s resignation comes amid limited public enthusiasm for the war, with many Americans wary of another prolonged military conflict in the Middle East.
Analysts and former officials have increasingly questioned the strategic rationale behind the war, warning that it risks repeating past US interventions that were justified on disputed or exaggerated threat assessments.
Kent’s statements are likely to reinforce those concerns, particularly given his senior role and direct involvement in national security decision-making.
Who Is Joe Kent?
Joseph Kent is a former US Army Special Forces soldier and intelligence official with extensive experience in counterterrorism operations.
He served in the military from 1998 to 2018, including multiple deployments in Iraq and other theaters, before transitioning into intelligence work.
In 2025, he was appointed by President Trump as director of the National Counterterrorism Center, a key agency responsible for integrating and analyzing intelligence related to terrorist threats.
His resignation marks one of the most high-profile internal breaks with US war policy in recent years.
— The Palestine Chronicle
