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A key figure in U.S. counterterrorism efforts has resigned in protest over the escalating conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran, asserting that Iran does not currently threaten American security.
Joseph Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, submitted his resignation to President Donald Trump on Tuesday, citing his inability to endorse the military actions taken in Iran.
“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent stated in his resignation letter, underscoring his firm opposition.
First major resignation over war
His resignation marks the first from a senior official within the Trump administration over dissent regarding the conflict, indicating a growing discomfort among high-ranking security officials.
Kent, a former Green Beret with extensive combat experience, argued that current intelligence does not substantiate claims that Iran presents an immediate threat to the United States.
“Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” he stated.
Claims of misinformation and external influence
In his strongly worded letter, Kent accused high-ranking Israeli officials and influential voices in the American media of shaping a narrative that pushed the US towards war.
“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.
He further alleged that a coordinated misinformation campaign distorted reality and influenced policy decisions.
“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 said.
According to him, this narrative created a false sense of urgency and misled decision-makers.
“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,” he added.
Warning against repeating past mistakes
Kent also drew parallels with past US military interventions in the Middle East, particularly the Iraq War.
“This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women,” he said.
He concluded his letter with a firm rejection of the war, warning about its human and economic cost.
“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,” Kent added.