Joseph Kent, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), has resigned from his post, delivering a sharp rebuke of the President Donald Trump administration’s military campaign in Iran.
In a resignation letter released as a press statement on Tuesday, Kent announced his immediate departure, citing moral and strategic objections to U.S. military actions in the Middle East.
“After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today,” Kent wrote, emphasising his inability to “in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran.”
He contended that Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States and argued that the conflict was influenced by external pressures, particularly from Israel and pro-Israel lobbying groups in America.
Kent highlighted what he described as a departure from Trump’s prior foreign policy approach.
“I support the values and the foreign policies that you campaigned on in 2016, 2020, 2024, which you enacted in your first term.
“Until June of 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trap that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation,” he wrote.
Acknowledging Trump’s earlier military decisions, Kent praised the President’s handling of targeted operations, including the killing of Qassem Soleimani and the campaign against ISIS.
“In your first administration, you understood better than any modern President how to decisively apply military power without getting us drawn into never-ending wars,” he said.
Kent’s letter went on to alleged that a coordinated campaign of misinformation by Israeli officials and influential U.S. media outlets had pressured the administration into conflict.
“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,” he wrote.
Drawing on his personal experience as a veteran and Gold Star husband, Kent stressed the human cost of war.
“As a veteran who deployed to combat 11 times and as a Gold Star husband who lost my beloved wife Shannon in a war manufactured by Israel, 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,” he said.
Kent appealed to the President, urging a reassessment of U.S. strategy in Iran: “I pray that you will reflect upon what we are doing in Iran, and who we are doing it for.
”The time for bold action is now. You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos. You hold the cards.”
He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve, stating, “It was an honor to serve in your administration and to serve our great nation.”
Kent’s resignation signals a major fissure within the U.S. national security apparatus and raises questions about internal dissent over the justification and conduct of the conflict in Iran.
