Read The Scathing Resignation Letter From Trump’s Now Former Counterterrorism Chief: ‘we Cannot Make This Mistake Again’

The head of nan National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, announced his abrupt resignation connected Tuesday, citing his concerns astir President Donald Trump’s strikes successful Iran.

Kent, 45, said he “cannot successful bully conscience” backmost nan administration’s war.

A erstwhile governmental campaigner pinch connections to right-wing extremists, Kent was confirmed to his station past July connected a 52-44 vote. As caput of nan National Counterterrorism Center, he oversaw an agency tasked pinch analyzing and detecting violent threats.

His resignation reflects unease wrong Trump’s base astir nan warfare and shows that questions astir nan justification for nan usage of unit successful Iran widen to nan correct of Trump’s guidelines and to elder members of his administration.

This is nan missive successful full:

President Trump,

After overmuch reflection, I person decided to resign from my position arsenic Director of nan National Counterterrorism Center, effective today.

I cannot successful bully conscience support nan ongoing warfare successful Iran. Iran posed nary imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this warfare owed to unit from Israel and its powerful American lobby.

I support nan values and nan overseas policies that you campaigned connected successful 2016, 2020, 2024, which you enacted successful your first term. Until June of 2025, you understood that nan wars successful nan Middle East were a trap that robbed America of nan precious lives of our patriots and depleted nan wealthiness and prosperity of our nation.

In your fist administration, you understood amended than immoderate modern President really to decisively use subject powerfulness without geting america drawn into never-ending wars. You demonsiratd this by sidesplitting Qasam Solamani and by defeating ISIS.

Early successful this administration, high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of nan American media deployed a misinformation run that wholly undermined your America First level and sowed pro-war sentiments to promote a warfare pinch Iran.

This echo enclosure was utilized to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to nan United States, and that should you onslaught now, location was clear way to a swift victory.

This was a dishonesty and is nan aforesaid maneuver nan Israelis utilized to tie america into nan disastrous Iraq warfare that costs our federation nan lives of thousands of our champion men and women. We cannot make this correction again.

As a seasoned who deployed to combat 11 times and arsenic a Gold Star hubby who mislaid my beloved woman Shannon successful a warfare manufactured by Israel, | cannot support sending nan adjacent procreation disconnected to conflict and dice successful a warfare that serves nary use to nan American group nor justifies nan costs of American lives.

I believe that you will bespeak upon what we are doing successful Iran, and who we are doing it for. The clip for bold action is now. You tin reverse people and floor plan a caller way for our nation, aliases you tin let america to gaffe further toward diminution and chaos. You clasp nan cards.

It was an grant to service successful your management and to service our awesome nation.

Joseph Kent

Director, National Counterterrorrism Center.