Counterterrorism official quits over Iran war — tells Trump he was lied to
Joe Kent, the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned on Tuesday, saying that he doesn't support President Donald Trump's war against Iran.
"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," he wrote in a resignation post on X.
Kent, a retired Green Beret combat veteran, Gold Star husband, called it an honor to work under DNI Tulsi Gabbard and for the Trump administration. He noted that he deployed 11 times.
"'I support the values and the foreign policies that you campaigned on in 2016, 2020, 2024, which you enacted in your first term," wrote Kent. "Until June 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trip that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation."
"Early in this administration, 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 to encourage a war with Iran. This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that should you strike now, there was a clear path to a swift victory. This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women. We cannot make this mistake again," he continued in the resignation letter.
ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl couldn't help but note that it's been a rare occurrence to see an angry resignation by a Trump official.
"Something we have rarely seen during the Trump era: a senior official resigning in protest — in this case, resigning to protest the war against Iran," he wrote on X.
Trump began strikes on Iran at the end of February and pledged that he would be done soon. When asked about details, he said he would end the war when "I feel it in my bones."
March 17, 2026
ALTERNET
Joe Kent, the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned on Tuesday, saying that he doesn't support President Donald Trump's war against Iran.
"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," he wrote in a resignation post on X.
Kent, a retired Green Beret combat veteran, Gold Star husband, called it an honor to work under DNI Tulsi Gabbard and for the Trump administration. He noted that he deployed 11 times.
"'I support the values and the foreign policies that you campaigned on in 2016, 2020, 2024, which you enacted in your first term," wrote Kent. "Until June 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trip that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation."
"Early in this administration, 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 to encourage a war with Iran. This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that should you strike now, there was a clear path to a swift victory. This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women. We cannot make this mistake again," he continued in the resignation letter.
ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl couldn't help but note that it's been a rare occurrence to see an angry resignation by a Trump official.
"Something we have rarely seen during the Trump era: a senior official resigning in protest — in this case, resigning to protest the war against Iran," he wrote on X.
Trump began strikes on Iran at the end of February and pledged that he would be done soon. When asked about details, he said he would end the war when "I feel it in my bones."
'The dominoes are starting to fall': Trump official's quitting over Iran jolts followers
Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigns
Tom Boggioni
March 17, 2026
RAW STORY
National Counterterrorism Center Director Joseph Kent attends a House Homeland Security hearing entitled "Worldwide Threats to the Homeland," on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S. December 11, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation on X Tuesday by saying he “cannot in good conscience” back Donald Trump’s war in Iran. It delivered a jolt to the administration that is already reeling from a war that is going badly.
According to Kent, 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.”
In less than an hour, his X post had over 4.7 million views.
Kent, known as a card-carrying member of the MAGA movement, was both lauded and accused of treason, with all agreeing his resignation is a game-changer for Turmp. One follower observed, “The dominoes are starting to fall. Those who want to save face should do the right thing and resign immediately. The overwhelming majority of the American people reject this war.”
Podcast producer Benjamin Rubinstein added, “This is a man who actually loves his country. Bravo.”
Asked for comment, retired Brigadier General Steve Anderson told CNN that the resignation is a “terrific blow to Trump'” and the “timing couldn't be worse.”
“This is incredibly honorable but now there is gonna be a coordinated attack against you by the same people that got us into this war...thank you Joe for your service brother,” wrote Real America’s Voice personality Alex Stein.
“This is the definition of America First. Thank you, Joe,” claimed The Maine Wonk.
Highbee Nation asserted, “A Green Beret who buried his wife to terrorism just told the most powerful man on earth no more forever wars for someone else's lobby. That's not disloyalty. That's the definition of America First.”
“The Director of the National Counterterrorism Center just resigned and publicly said Iran posed no imminent threat and the war was started due to Israeli lobby pressure. This isn’t a podcaster. This isn’t a pundit. This is the person literally in charge of tracking threats to America saying there WASN’T ONE. Read that again. The highest-ranking insider just confirmed everything the ‘traitors’ were saying from day one,” noted influencer tosino007.
Senior Trump official resigns over Iran:
'I cannot in good conscience support the war'
Alexander Willis
March 17, 2026
RAW STORY
Joe Kent, who was tapped by President Donald Trump to lead the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned on Tuesday out of protest over the U.S. war against Iran, marking the president’s first major rebuke on the conflict from a member of his administration.
“After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today,” Kent wrote Tuesday in a statement shared on social media.
“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. 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.”
Axios reporter Barak Ravid described Kent’s resignation as being the first instance of a senior Trump administration official to step down over the U.S. war against Iran, a conflict authorized by Trump, in part, over claims that an Iranian attack on the United States was “imminent.”
Trump has dug his heels in on his administration’s war against Iran, deploying thousands of U.S. Marines to the region and striking Iran’s oil export hub “just for fun."
Joe Kent, who was tapped by President Donald Trump to lead the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned on Tuesday out of protest over the U.S. war against Iran, marking the president’s first major rebuke on the conflict from a member of his administration.
“After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today,” Kent wrote Tuesday in a statement shared on social media.
“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. 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.”
Axios reporter Barak Ravid described Kent’s resignation as being the first instance of a senior Trump administration official to step down over the U.S. war against Iran, a conflict authorized by Trump, in part, over claims that an Iranian attack on the United States was “imminent.”
Trump has dug his heels in on his administration’s war against Iran, deploying thousands of U.S. Marines to the region and striking Iran’s oil export hub “just for fun."
'It's an insult': MAGA in tailspin as Trump's terror chief quits over Iran war
Nicole Charky-Chami
March 17, 2026
RAW STORY
MAGA followers were enraged Tuesday after Joe Kent, head of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned in protest over the U.S. war in Iran.
Kent, a longtime MAGA ally of President Donald Trump who was appointed by him, shared his public statement and rejection of the conflict in the Middle East. This was the first time an administration official had rebuked the military action and spoken out against it.
MAGA loyalists had seething responses to Kent's announcement:
"Gold Star wife here. My husband didn’t die for Israel. He died because this war has been targeting Americans for decades. Long before most people ever started paying attention. We didn’t suddenly stumble into this because of Israel. Our service members have been in the crosshairs of Iranian-backed terror networks for years. That’s the reality families like mine have lived with. So spare me the talking point that this is 'Israel’s war.' Some of us have already paid for it in American blood," Sharrell Anne, who self-describes as "America First" wrote in a post on X.
"Very disappointing from you. It's an insult to Trump to imply he has no agency and no ability to resist pressure from anyone, including Israel," Jon Murray, who shares pro-MAGA content and commentary, wrote on X.
"' Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation' ok good you left because seems like you're an ignorant ...," Samuel Cardillo, who frequently shares MAGA talking points, wrote on X.
“'Without getting us drawn into never-ending wars.' It’s been 3 weeks lol," conservative commentator and attorney Matt Bilinsky wrote on X.
"Joe Kent is a crazed egomaniac who was often at the center of national security leaks, while rarely (never?) producing any actual work. He spent all of his time working to subvert the chain of command and undermine the President of the United States. This isn’t some principled resignation—he just wanted to make a splash before getting canned. What a loser," Taylor Budowich, former deputy White House chief of staff and cabinet secretary to Trump, wrote on X.
Nicole Charky-Chami
March 17, 2026
RAW STORY
MAGA followers were enraged Tuesday after Joe Kent, head of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned in protest over the U.S. war in Iran.
Kent, a longtime MAGA ally of President Donald Trump who was appointed by him, shared his public statement and rejection of the conflict in the Middle East. This was the first time an administration official had rebuked the military action and spoken out against it.
MAGA loyalists had seething responses to Kent's announcement:
"Gold Star wife here. My husband didn’t die for Israel. He died because this war has been targeting Americans for decades. Long before most people ever started paying attention. We didn’t suddenly stumble into this because of Israel. Our service members have been in the crosshairs of Iranian-backed terror networks for years. That’s the reality families like mine have lived with. So spare me the talking point that this is 'Israel’s war.' Some of us have already paid for it in American blood," Sharrell Anne, who self-describes as "America First" wrote in a post on X.
"Very disappointing from you. It's an insult to Trump to imply he has no agency and no ability to resist pressure from anyone, including Israel," Jon Murray, who shares pro-MAGA content and commentary, wrote on X.
"' Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation' ok good you left because seems like you're an ignorant ...," Samuel Cardillo, who frequently shares MAGA talking points, wrote on X.
“'Without getting us drawn into never-ending wars.' It’s been 3 weeks lol," conservative commentator and attorney Matt Bilinsky wrote on X.
"Joe Kent is a crazed egomaniac who was often at the center of national security leaks, while rarely (never?) producing any actual work. He spent all of his time working to subvert the chain of command and undermine the President of the United States. This isn’t some principled resignation—he just wanted to make a splash before getting canned. What a loser," Taylor Budowich, former deputy White House chief of staff and cabinet secretary to Trump, wrote on X.
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