Top US Counterterrorism Official Resigns Over Iran Policy, Citing Israeli Influence

In a dramatic public resignation, the director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, stepped down Tuesday, explicitly citing his opposition to the ongoing US military campaign in Iran.

“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent wrote in a resignation letter shared on social media platform X. Kent argued that Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States and claimed the conflict was primarily driven by pressure from Israel and its influential American supporters.

Kent, who described himself as a combat veteran with 11 deployments, referenced deep personal loss in his decision. Identifying himself as a “Gold Star husband” whose wife was killed in a previous conflict, he wrote, “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.”

The resignation represents a significant break within the national security establishment over the administration’s Iran policy. In his letter, Kent drew direct parallels between the current conflict and the 2003 Iraq War, suggesting both were based on faulty intelligence and external pressure.

“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,” Kent wrote, addressing President Donald Trump directly. “This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States… This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war.”

President Trump quickly dismissed Kent’s criticisms when asked about the resignation at a White House press briefing. “I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security,” Trump told reporters. “I didn’t know him well, but I thought he seemed like a pretty nice guy. When I read his statement, I realized that it’s a good thing that he’s out.” The president specifically rejected Kent’s assertion that Iran did not pose a threat, adding, “Every country realized what a threat Iran was.”

The White House moved swiftly to counter Kent’s narrative. Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt issued a statement on X, accusing the former counterterrorism director of spreading “false claims” and defending the administration’s decision-making process.

“President Trump ultimately made the determination that a joint attack with Israel would greatly reduce the risk to American lives that would come from a first strike by the terrorist Iranian regime and address this imminent threat to America’s national security interests,” Leavitt wrote. She emphasized that “the Commander-in-Chief determines what does and does not constitute a threat, because he is the one constitutionally empowered to do so.”

Leavitt specifically rejected Kent’s suggestion that Israel had pressured the administration into military action, calling the assertion “insulting and laughable.”

According to reporting from The Washington Post, Kent met with Vice President JD Vance at the White House a day before submitting his resignation. During this meeting, Kent presented his resignation letter while Vance reportedly urged him to speak directly with President Trump and remain “respectful to POTUS.” A spokesman for the vice president later stated that Vance “believes that it’s imperative for the national security team to remain cohesive, trust one another, and avoid mouthing off to the media about internal deliberations.”

The backdrop to this high-profile resignation is the joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran that began on February 28. Iranian authorities report that the attacks have killed over 1,300 people, including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The conflict has expanded to include ground operations in Lebanon, which have displaced more than one million people according to humanitarian organizations.

Despite President Trump’s public assertions that the conflict will conclude shortly, there are currently no clear signs of de-escalation or a negotiated settlement on the horizon.