Top U.S. Counterterrorism Official Resigns in Protest of Trump Administration’s Iran War

WASHINGTON – Joe Kent, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), announced his resignation on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, citing his opposition to the Trump administration’s military actions in Iran. Kent stated he “cannot in great conscience support the ongoing war,” according to a letter posted on his personal X account.

Kent, a veteran and a promoter of far-right conspiracy theories, accused President Trump of being misled by Israel into initiating the conflict. He argued that “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation” and that the war stemmed from “pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”

Resignation Follows U.S. Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Facilities

The resignation comes after U.S. And Israeli forces struck Iranian nuclear facilities last June, escalating tensions in the region. Kent reportedly believed that prior to this action, President Trump “understood that wars in the Middle East were a trap.”

Personal Loss Fueled Kent’s Opposition

Kent’s personal experience with the costs of war likewise informed his decision. His wife, Shannon, was killed in a suicide bombing in Syria in 2019, leaving him with two sons. This loss deeply impacted his perspective on military intervention.

Trump Dismisses Kent’s Concerns

President Trump responded to Kent’s resignation by dismissing his concerns and questioning his judgment. “I always thought he was a nice guy, but I always thought he was weak on security,” Trump told reporters during a meeting with Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin. He added that Kent’s departure was “a good thing” because “every country realized what a threat Iran was.”

White House Rebuts Kent’s Claims

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized Kent’s statement, accusing him of repeating “the same false claim that Democrats and some in the liberal media have been repeating over and over.”

Kent’s Background and Confirmation

Kent was nominated by President Trump in February 2025 and narrowly confirmed by the Senate in July 2025. As Director of the NCTC, he led U.S. Counterterrorism and counternarcotics efforts and served as the president’s principal counterterrorism advisor. He is a retired Green Beret veteran.

Highest-Ranking Resignation to Date

Kent is the highest-ranking Trump administration official to resign in protest of the war in Iran.