Washington: Joe Kent, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation on Tuesday, stating he “cannot in good conscience” support the administration of Donald Trump in its war against Iran. The White House did not immediately respond to his remarks.
In a statement posted on social media, Kent said Iran “posed no imminent threat” to the United States and alleged that the conflict was initiated under pressure from Israel and its influential lobby in the US.
Kent, who was confirmed to the role last July by a 52–44 Senate vote, led the agency responsible for analysing and detecting terrorist threats. Prior to joining the administration, he served as a Green Beret with 11 deployments and later worked with the Central Intelligence Agency. He also contested two unsuccessful congressional campaigns in Washington state.
His appointment faced strong opposition from Democrats, who raised concerns over his past associations with far-right figures and conspiracy theories. During his 2022 campaign, Kent paid Graham Jorgensen, linked to the far-right group Proud Boys, for consulting work. He also worked closely with Joey Gibson, founder of the Christian nationalist group Patriot Prayer, and drew support from several far-right personalities.
At his Senate confirmation hearing, Kent declined to distance himself from claims that federal agents instigated the January 6 United States Capitol attack and from false assertions that Trump won the 2020 presidential election over Joe Biden.
Democrats also questioned Kent over his participation in a Signal group chat reportedly used by Trump’s national security team to discuss sensitive military plans.
Despite the controversy, Republicans defended his credentials. Senator Tom Cotton, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Kent had “dedicated his career to fighting terrorism and keeping Americans safe,” citing his extensive military and intelligence experience.
With PTI inputs