Shawn Ryan, a former US Navy SEAL and podcaster, backed Joe Kent as he resigned as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center on Tuesday. Kent, appointed by Trump in 2025, alleged that Israel “dragged” the US into the war with Iran, sparking a major row in the Trump administration.
Kent’s resignation divided opinion. Some, including the White House criticized him while some also came to his defense- among whom was also Shawn Ryan. Ryan lauded Kent on the decision, calling it the “most impactful statement.”
“Sometimes the most impactful statement you can make is a strong resignation,” Ryan wrote. “It’s unfortunate it’s come down to this. God’s speed Joe Kent. I hope this wakes some people up.”
Joe Kent Slams ‘Israel Lobby’
Kent, in his resignation letter to the President, said that he cannot “in good conscience support the war in Iran.” Kent wrote in his X post: “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.”
However, in his official resignation letter, which he also shared on X, Kent provided a much more detailed account of how the US purportedly carried out the strikes in Iran under the influence of “Israel and its American lobby.”
Early in this administration, high-ranking “Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war with Iran,” Kent wrote.
He alleged that the “echo chamber was used to deceive (Trump) into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that should you strike now, there was a clear path to a swift victory.”
Trump Reacts To Joe Kent Resignation
President Donald Trump on Tuesday reacted to the resignation of Joe Kent, saying that it was “a good thing.” Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Trump said that he “doesn’t want” officials who disagree with his policy on the Iran war.
“Well, I read his statement. I always thought he was a nice guy, but he was always weak on security,” the 79-year-old said. He added that people like Kent are “not smart people…or savvy.”
The war in Iran has been ongoing since the February 28 US-Israeli strike on Iran killed Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has since retaliated over the last three weeks, striking US bases in the Middle East, especially in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
