While Donald Trump denounced the resignation of his top official Joe Kent, his critics were quick to remind him of the time when he lauded the former director of the US National Counterterrorism Center as “Great American Hero.”
In a post on X, Kent announced his resignation in protest against the Iran war, asserting that Tehran posed “no imminent threat” to the US.
The resignation of Kent, a US army veteran who previously acted as an adviser under the director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, signifies the first notable defection from Trump’s administration since the onset of the war in late February.
In his resignation letter addressed to Trump, which was shared on X, Kent stated that he “cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives.”
He further stated that US started the conflict “due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
George W. Bush created the National Counterterrorism Center to manage law enforcement and intelligence agencies’ efforts after they failed to stop the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Kent had served as its director since July last year, after several months as a top adviser to Gabbard.
Trump slams Kent’s resignation, but netizens give him a sharp reminder
Trump, who nominated Kent for the top U.S. counterterrorism job on Feb. 3, 2025, was asked on Tuesday about his resignation at the White House event.
Speaking to the reporters, the POTUS said, “I always thought he was a nice guy. But I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security.”
“I didn’t know him well, but I thought he seemed like a pretty nice guy. But when I read a statement, I realized that it’s a good thing that he’s out because he said that Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat,” he added.
Kent – a favorite of Trump and Tulsi Gabbard
Kent was highly regarded by both Gabbard, who manages all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies, and the president himself.
Reacting to Trump’s statement on Kent, some of his critics reminded him of the post he made 13 months ago, in which he heaped praise on Kent, who “has hunted down terrorists and criminal in his entire adult life.”
When Trump nominated Kent 13 months prior, Trump stated in a Truth Social post that as “a Soldier, Green Beret, and CIA Officer, Joe has hunted down terrorists and criminals his entire adult life. … Joe will help us keep America safe by eradicating all terrorism, from the jihadists around the World, to the cartels in our backyard.”
“Above all, Joe knows the terrible cost of terrorism,” Trump stated, adding that Kent’s wife Shannon was “killed in the fight against ISIS.”
Shannon Kent, a chief cryptologic technician in the Navy, lost his life on January 16, 2019, due to a suicide bombing in Manbij, Syria.
Slamming Trump, one X user said, “Throwing someone under the bus when they disagree with you says a lot about you not them.”
“Refusing to continue with an illegal war and quitting is honorable. Trump knows nothing about honor,” another wrote.
“Now he’s weak, because he called it quits. 🙄,” a third user said.
