Joe Kent Resigns as National Counterterrorism Director Over Iran War Opposition
This marks the first high-level resignation from the Trump administration tied directly to disagreement over the Iran conflict now in its third week. No successor has been named.
Tommy Flynn
Joe Kent, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned March 17, 2026, stating he could no longer support the Trump administration’s military operations against Iran.
In his resignation, Kent said Iran posed “no imminent threat to our nation” and that the conflict was driven by Israeli pressure and lobbying rather than U.S. interests.
A former U.S. Army Green Beret and CIA operations officer with multiple combat deployments, Kent was a longtime Trump supporter and Republican congressional candidate in Washington state in 2022 and 2024. He was appointed NCTC director in July 2025.
Kent’s stance aligns closely with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who has long criticized U.S. regime-change policies toward Iran and warned against unnecessary Middle East escalations.
President Donald Trump responded immediately on Truth Social: “Good thing he’s out.” He added that Kent was “very weak on security” and that the departure would have no impact on operations.
This marks the first high-level resignation from the Trump administration tied directly to disagreement over the Iran conflict now in its third week. No successor has been named.