Joe Kent, Director of the US National Counterterrorism Center and a key adviser to President Donald Trump on terrorism threats, has resigned in protest over the war with Iran, saying the conflict was neither justified nor in America’s interest.
Kent’s departure is the most high-profile resignation from the Trump administration since the war began. In a resignation letter posted on X, he argued that Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States and accused Washington of entering the conflict under pressure from Israel and its American allies.
He said he could not support sending more Americans to die in a war that offers no clear benefit to the US public. Kent also reminded Trump of his earlier promise to end America’s endless Middle East wars and prioritise national prosperity over foreign entanglements.
His resignation came as tensions in the region deepened further, with Israel claiming it killed additional senior Iranian figures and Iran’s new leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, reportedly rejecting de-escalation efforts.
Kent’s exit reflects widening cracks inside Trump’s political base, especially among America First supporters who see the Iran war as a betrayal of the anti-interventionist message that helped return the president to power.
