US counterterrorism boss steps down over Iran conflict

By Lawrence Agbo

The director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, has resigned in protest over the ongoing US–Israeli war with Iran, marking the first senior-level departure from the administration over the conflict.

Kent announced his resignation in a letter addressed to President Donald Trump, stating that he could not support the war “in good conscience.”

He argued that Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States and questioned the justification for military action.

“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. 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 lobby,” Kent wrote in a letter posted ​to social media.

In his statement, Kent also suggested that the conflict was driven by external pressure, particularly from Israel and its allies, a claim the White House has strongly rejected.

Officials insisted the decision to engage militarily was based on credible intelligence of a potential Iranian attack.

Kent, a former Green Beret and CIA paramilitary officer, had been serving as the president’s top counterterrorism adviser, coordinating responses to global threats.

His resignation underscores growing internal divisions within the administration as the war enters its third week.

The development has sparked debate in Washington, with some lawmakers supporting Kent’s stance while others defend the administration’s actions, highlighting deepening political and strategic disagreements over the Iran conflict.