The director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, announced his resignation on March 17, 2026, stating he could not support the ongoing war in Iran, according to his social media post. This marks the first instance of a high-ranking official from the Trump administration publicly resigning in protest of potential military action against Iran.
Kent, a former U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret, was nominated by President Trump in February 2025 and confirmed by the Senate in July 2025. The National Counterterrorism Center is the intelligence agency responsible for coordinating U.S. Counterterrorism efforts.
In a letter to President Trump, Kent criticized the potential military operation against Iran as being initiated due to pressure from Israel. He expressed concern that “false information” from Israeli sources was used to create a belief that Iran posed an imminent threat requiring immediate action. Kent also warned that such actions could significantly damage the foundation of President Trump’s “America First” policy.
“Crack in the Support Base”
The resignation comes as thousands of U.S. Troops…
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