Joe Kent, high-ranking US intelligence official, resigns over war in Iran – CNN Politics

Politics, 4 min read

‘Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation’: Trump-appointed intelligence official resigns over Iran war

By Zachary Cohen. Updated 33 min ago

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, testifies during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on December 11, 2025.Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc./Getty Images/File

A senior US intelligence official appointed by President Donald Trump abruptly announced he is stepping down from his post on Tuesday, citing misgivings about the administration’s war with Iran.

“After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today,” Joe Kent wrote in a post on X.

“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 American lobby,” Kent added in the resignation letter he attached to the post.

Kent was a staunch Trump supporter, and his resignation marks the first high-profile departure of the president’s second term over a major policy issue. Some lawmakers and experts have raised doubts over the intelligence the president used to justify the war, and the departure of a key intelligence official will increase scrutiny of the administration’s case.

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