Joe Kent, President Donald Trump‘s controversial director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), has resigned, citing the U.S.-Israeli war as his reason, and at least one prominent progressive voice supports the decision.
Kent announced his resignation in an open letter to Trump, which he then shared online. Kent captioned his post in part,
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 American lobby.”
via Joe Kent, X
Meanwhile, Kent’s resignation drew bipartisan support from at least one progressive political pundit, Cenk Uygar, who commented on Kent’s post,
Make note of everyone criticizing this patriot. It’s a good way of separating out who works for Israel and who doesn’t. Every Israel First neocon will now either call him a traitor (what they really mean is that he was disloyal to Israel) or that it’s Trump’s fault, not Israel’s!”
via Cenk Uygar, X
Trump called Kent “a nice guy”
According to The Wall Street Journal, speaking from the Oval Office after Kent’s announcement, Trump said, “I always thought he was a nice guy, but I also believed he was weak on security — very weak. When I read his statement, I realised it’s a good thing he’s out because he said Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat — every country realized that.”
Trump tapped Kent — with 20 years of experience in the U.S. Army, including the 75th Ranger Regiment and Special Forces — for the NCTC top spot in July 2025.
After he retired from the army, Kent worked as a paramilitary officer at the CIA. He ran twice for Congress in Washington state with Trump’s endorsement, losing both times to the Democratic candidate.
Kent’s controversies
Kent would ultimately be approved, but his choice was controversial, as Congressional Democrats pointed toward his links to far‑right figures and association with conspiracy‑linked narratives, including about the 2020 election and the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.
He also faced allegations of politicising intelligence, including attempts to influence official assessments to fit political priorities. Opponents called him “patently unqualified.”
While Kent is the first Trump administration official to step down over Iran, several prominent figures once aligned with Trump have publicly broken with him over the administration’s military actions in Iran, accusing him of abandoning core “America First” principles.
Former Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has criticized the U.S. strikes and broader war posture as a betrayal of Trump’s campaign‑era promises to avoid “foreign wars,” arguing the focus should remain on domestic priorities and decrying the conflict as serving foreign interests rather than American security.
Conservative media voices such as Tucker Carlson have also denounced the war as “disgusting” while challenging Trump’s alignment with Israel.
Published: Mar 18, 2026 04:43 am