One of Trump administration’s top counterterrorism officials has resigned in protest over the ongoing war in Iran, publicly urging the president to change course and end the conflict.

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation in a letter shared on X on Tuesday. In the post, Kent said he could no longer support the war, arguing that Iran did not pose an immediate danger to the United States.

“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent wrote. He added that “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation,” and claimed the conflict was initiated “due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”

Kent’s resignation marks the first significant departure from the Trump administration tied directly to the Iran conflict, according to the Wall Street Journal and the BBC.

A public break with Trump

In his resignation letter, addressed to President Donald Trump, Kent urged the administration to “reverse course,” warning that the war contradicts the president’s long-standing opposition to prolonged military engagements abroad.

Kent, a long-time supporter of Trump, said he had previously believed the president understood the costs of U.S. involvement in Middle East conflicts. He wrote that such wars have “robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation.”

He also alleged that “high-ranking Israeli officials” and influential American media voices had spread misinformation that led the administration to view Iran as an imminent threat.

“This echo was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States,” Kent wrote. “This was a lie.”

The White House did not immediately comment on his resignation.

Background and controversy

Kent, 45, is a veteran of U.S. special forces and a former CIA paramilitary officer. He was narrowly confirmed to his role in July last year after facing criticism from Democrats over alleged ties to extremist groups.

During his confirmation hearing, Kent declined to retract controversial claims regarding the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots and the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

At the National Counterterrorism Center, Kent reported to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and oversaw efforts to analyze and detect terrorist threats worldwide.

Before entering government leadership, Kent deployed 11 times overseas, including missions in Iraq. He later left public service following the death of his wife, Shannon Kent, a U.S. Navy cryptologic technician who was killed in a suicide bombing in Syria in 2019.

Personal and political motivations

In his resignation letter, Kent cited both his military service and personal loss as central to his decision.

“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 wrote.

Kent also emphasized that his decision reflects a belief that the administration has strayed from its “America First” foreign policy principles, particularly its commitment to avoiding “never-ending wars.”

His departure underscores growing internal tensions over the Iran conflict and raises questions about the administration’s strategic direction moving forward.

Sources: X, BBC, WSJ