politics
3/18/2026
Pending Review

Top US Counterterrorism Chief Resigns in Protest Over Iran War

Top US Counterterrorism Chief Resigns in Protest Over Iran War
AI-Generated Summary

Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned from his post on Tuesday in protest of the Trump administration's war with Iran. In his resignation, Kent stated he 'cannot in good conscience' support the military action, arguing that intelligence showed 'Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation.' Kent was a staunch Trump supporter through the 2020 election and the January 6 riots, with a background in conservative media advocacy and previous congressional bids. His confirmation in July was on a partisan 52-44 vote, and his tenure was later marked by controversy, including his participation in a Signal group chat with administration officials discussing military strikes. The resignation comes as the conflict with Iran continues into its third week, with Israel announcing it had killed a high-level Iranian security official. The war has had global ramifications, including rising gas prices and reported hesitation from European leaders to assist the U.S. in the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump has been notified of the resignation.

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Sources

What to know about Joe Kent, Trump's former counterterrorism chief | AP News

apnews.com
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The Trump counterterrorism official who resigned Tuesday had been a staunch supporter of the president through his 2020 election defeat, the Jan. 6 riots and years of conservative media advocacy and failed congressional bids.

Joe Kent, top counterterrorism official, says Iran posed no imminent threat as he resigns over Trump's war | PBS News

pbs.org
50%

Kent, a former political candidate with connections to right-wing extremists, said he “cannot in good conscience” back the Trump administration’s war.

Joe Kent resigns as counterterrorism chief over Iran war in protest | Fox News

www.foxnews.com
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Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content.

Top counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigns over Trump's Iran war | AP News

apnews.com
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Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share ... WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation on Tuesday, citing his concerns about the justification for military strikes ...

Trump counter-terrorism chief quits over Iran war, blaming Israel | Trump administration | The Guardian

www.theguardian.com
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Kent also embraced anti-government ... by Joe Biden. Democrats highlighted this activity, as well as his participation in a Signal group chat with administration officials discussing attacks on Houthi militia which erupted in scandal after Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of the Atlantic, revealed he had been accidentally added to the chat. He was confirmed in July on a partisan 52-44 vote. Trump responded to the news of Kent’s resignation at a White ...

Top Trump counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigns over Iran, saying it "posed no imminent threat to our nation" - CBS News

www.cbsnews.com
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Kathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C. Read Full Bio ... President Trump's director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, announced his immediate resignation Tuesday, citing the decision to begin a war against Iran when "Iran posed ...

Iran live updates: U.S. counterterrorism official resigns in protest of war, Israel says it killed Iranian security chief

www.ms.now
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Gas prices rose this morning as the U.S.-Israel war with Iran continues into its third week, with European leaders balking at Trump’s request for assistance in the Strait of Hormuz.

Top US counter-terrorism official Joe Kent resigns in protest against Iran war | Euronews

www.euronews.com
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As head of the National Counterterrorism Center, Kent was in charge of an agency tasked with analysing and detecting terrorist threats.

'Cannot in good conscience': Trump's counterterrorism chief quits over Iran war

www.latimes.com
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Joe Kent, a Trump appointee to lead the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned Tuesday, saying he could not back the administration’s war in Iran.

March 17, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode | PBS News

www.pbs.org
50%

Tuesday on the News Hour, Israeli strikes kill Iran's security chief and another high-level official in a major blow to the country's leadership. The U.S. National Counterterrorism Center's director resigns in protest over the war in Iran, saying the country posed no imminent threat.

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