The United States’ top counterterrorism official has resigned in protest over the ongoing war with Iran, saying he could no longer support the military campaign.
Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation on Tuesday, becoming the first senior official to step down over the conflict, now in its third week.
In a resignation letter addressed to President Donald Trump, Kent said he could not back the war, arguing that Iran did not pose an immediate danger to the United States.
“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” he said, adding that “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation.”
Kent further claimed the conflict was influenced by external pressures, stating that the United States had been drawn into the war due to “pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
The White House, however, rejected his position, insisting the administration had credible intelligence to justify the strikes. Officials maintained that the president acted on “strong and compelling evidence” that Iran was preparing an attack.
Kent’s departure has exposed divisions within the administration, particularly between officials who support military intervention and those advocating restraint in foreign conflicts.
The war, launched in late February, has intensified tensions across the Middle East and sparked global concern over its legality and potential escalation.
