US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said it was a “good thing” that Joe Kent resigned as director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, criticising the outgoing official as “very weak on security” after the latter stepped down in protest over America’s war with Iran.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump reacted sharply to Kent’s departure, suggesting the resignation was appropriate given the counterterrorism chief’s views on Iran.
Regarding officials who don’t agree that an attack on Iran was important for US national security, Trump said, “We don’t want those people”.
The president’s remarks came hours after Kent publicly announced he was stepping down because he opposed the administration’s military campaign in Iran.
Kent said he could not support the conflict and questioned the justification for the war. “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 resignation letter posted on social media.
The resignation marks the first departure of a senior official from Trump’s administration linked directly to the conflict with Iran, which has now entered its third week and has heightened tensions across the Middle East.
As director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Kent oversaw one of the US’ key intelligence bodies responsible for analysing terrorist threats and coordinating counterterrorism efforts across multiple government agencies, including the intelligence community, the Pentagon and federal law enforcement.
Kent’s decision to resign has intensified debate in Washington about the legal and strategic basis for the military operation. Some experts argue that international law generally requires evidence of an imminent threat before launching military action, a point that Kent highlighted in his criticism of the war.
Kent, a former US Army Green Beret who served multiple combat deployments before working at the Central Intelligence Agency, had long promoted an “America First” foreign policy and voiced opposition to prolonged US military interventions abroad.
Before joining the administration, he also ran twice for Congress in Washington state but lost both bids. His nomination to lead the counterterrorism center sparked controversy on Capitol Hill due to his associations with far-right political figures, though the Senate ultimately confirmed him in a narrow 52–44 vote last year.
Kent is also known to be close to Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, whose office oversees the counterterrorism center.
Gabbard has largely remained out of public view since the conflict with Iran began and has not issued detailed public statements about the military campaign.
The resignation has exposed internal divisions within the administration over the Iran conflict, as criticism grows over the decision to escalate military action in the region.
TRUMP CONTESTED ‘ISRAELI PRESSURE’ CLAIMS
Earlier this month, Trump had claimed he might have “forced Israel’s hand” in launching strikes against Iran, rejecting suggestions that the US acted only after Israel prepared to attack.
Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office during the initial days of the conflict, Trump disputed claims that Israel’s plans prompted Washington’s action.
“They were going to attack if we didn’t do it, they were going to attack first,” he said of Iran. “I felt strongly about that”.
He added, “If anything, I might have forced Israel’s hand, but Israel was ready, and we were ready,” describing the strikes as pre-emptive and highly effective in weakening Iran’s missile capabilities.
