Donald Trump in trouble as rift emerges within his team over Iran war; senior officer resigns, US President says…
Kent attempted to build a career in politics and ran twice for Congress in Washington state before joining the Trump administration, but both of his campaigns were unsuccessful.
Published: March 18, 2026 7:02 AM IST
US President Donald Trump in deep troubleNew Delhi: In a significant development, a senior official in Donald Trump’s team has stepped down amid the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran. The decision has raised serious questions about his policy of going to war with Iran. “My conscience tells me that I cannot support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no immediate threat to our country, and it is clear that we entered this war under pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” Joe Kent, the Director of the US Counterterrorism Center, told US President Donald Trump.
Kent’s resignation is considered one of the highest-profile departures from the Trump administration due to the Iran war and comes at a time when military clashes between the US and Iran are intensifying, and tensions in West Asia continue to rise.
Joe Kent: All You Need To Know
Joe Kent was the Director of the Counterterrorism Center
Joe Kent was confirmed for this position last July after a closely contested vote in the US Senate.
His nomination was approved by a margin of 52 votes to 44.
His appointment faced criticism from some lawmakers due to past controversies and allegations of links with far-right extremist groups.
Joe Kent was leading a key US intelligence agency responsible for identifying and analyzing terrorist threats to the country.
He stated that Iran was not posing any immediate threat to the United States at the time.
This US agency plays a crucial role in coordinating counterterrorism intelligence among various departments of the American government.
These include the intelligence community, the Pentagon, and law enforcement agencies.
To announce his resignation, Joe Kent wrote a letter to Donald Trump and posted it on X.
Joe Kent, in the letter, he explained the reasons behind his decision. He stated that although he supports “the values and foreign policies on which you campaigned in 2016, 2020, and 2024,” he disagreed with the President’s decision to launch a military campaign against Iran.
He wrote, “I pray that you reflect on what we are doing in Iran, and for whom we are doing it. Now is the time to take bold steps. You can change your course and open a new path for our country, or you can allow us to slide further into decline and chaos. The reins are entirely in your hands.”
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Responding to Joe Kent’s resignation, President Donald Trump said that he had always thought Kent was a good person, but also believed he was weak on security. After reading his statement, Trump remarked that it was probably a good thing he is no longer in the position, especially since he claimed that Iran was not a threat.
Kent attempted to build a career in politics and ran twice for Congress in Washington state before joining the Trump administration, but both of his campaigns were unsuccessful.
Prior to entering politics, he served in the US Army as a “Green Beret” and was deployed 11 times to different locations during his service. After his military career, he worked with the Central Intelligence Agency.
Following Joe Kent’s resignation, debate in the United States over Donald Trump’s Iran war policy is likely to intensify.
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