U.S. counterterrorism director Joe Kent resigns over Iran war
Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, testifies during the House Homeland Security Committee hearing titled “Worldwide Threats to the Homeland,” in Cannon building on Wednesday, December 11, 2025.
Tom Williams | Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images
National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent on Tuesday announced he will resign in response to the Trump administration’s war against Iran.
“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war,” Kent said in a letter addressed to President Donald Trump, that was posted on Kent’s personal X account.
Kent, a promoter of far-right conspiracy theories whom the Senate narrowly confirmed for the director role last July, accused the president of being deceived by Israel into supporting the war.
“Iran 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 wrote in his letter.
The White House and the National Counterterrorism Center did not immediately respond to CNBC’s requests for comment.
The director of the NCTC leads U.S. counterterrorism and counternarcotics efforts and advises the president directly. An hour after Kent announced his resignation, he was still listed as the center’s director on its official government website.
The NCTC is housed within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, led by Tulsi Gabbard, a once-vocal opponent of war with Iran who has kept quiet on the Trump administration’s latest military actions.
The ODNI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This is developing news. Please check back for updates.
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