{"id":2580914,"date":"2026-03-17T14:24:02","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T18:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trumps-national-counterterrorism-center-director-resigns-in-protest-of-the-iran-war\/"},"modified":"2026-03-17T14:26:02","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T18:26:02","slug":"trumps-national-counterterrorism-center-director-resigns-in-protest-of-the-iran-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trumps-national-counterterrorism-center-director-resigns-in-protest-of-the-iran-war\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump&#8217;s National Counterterrorism Center Director Resigns in Protest of the Iran War"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrumps-national-counterterrorism-center-director-resigns-in-protest-of-the-iran-war%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2580914&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>the article reports that Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned on a Tuesday in protest of the Iran War. Kent said he cannot support the ongoing conflict, arguing Iran posed no imminent threat and that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its American lobby. A veteran with 20 years in the U.S. Army and the widower of Shannon Kent, who died in Syria in 2019, Kent addressed his resignation letter to President Donald Trump. He urged reversing course on Iran by June 2025 and claimed that a misinformation campaign by Israeli officials and certain American media had undermined America First principles and pushed toward war. He compared current developments to the false premises that led to the Iraq war and urged not to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >repeat past mistakes<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>the piece also covers a highly polarized response. Some conservatives praised Kent as a hero and criticized what they saw as mismanagement of U.S. foreign policy, while others attacked him or dismissed his claims. Notable reactions include: Taylor Budowich calling Kent a \u201ccrazy egomaniac,\u201d Don Bacon replying \u201cGood riddance\u201d and warning against anti-Semitism, Will Chamberlain offering a point-by-point defense of the administration\u2019s stance, and endorsements of Kent from figures like Shawn Ryan, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Judge Andrew Napolitano. The article notes that supporters of the Iran War on the political right largely criticized Kent, whereas those skeptical of the war welcomed his resignation as principled.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_3)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Joe Kent, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned Tuesday in protest against the Iran War.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I cannot in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-tuck-female-draft-into-defense-bill\/\" title=\"Democrats Tuck Female Draft Into Defense Bill\">good conscience support<\/a> the ongoing war in Iran,&rdquo; Kent wrote in a resignation letter <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/joekent16jan19\/status\/2033897242986209689\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">posted<\/a> to the social media platform X.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;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,&rdquo; he added.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dni.gov\/index.php\/nctc-who-we-are\/director-nctc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kent<\/a>, a 20-year U.S. Army and 11-time combat veteran who lost his wife, Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent, to a suicide bombing in Syria in 2019, addressed his letter directly to President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I support the values and the foreign policies that you campaigned on in 2016, 2020, 2024, which you enacted in your first term,&rdquo; Kent wrote. &ldquo;Until June of 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trap that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"anyclipvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\tdocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function() { \t\t\t\t\tfunction loadAnyclip() { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst container=document.getElementById(\"anyclipvideo\"); 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\t\t\t\t\tobserveElement(paragraphToObserve); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>After briefly reviewing Trump&rsquo;s first administration, Kent blamed an Israeli-led &ldquo;misinformation campaign&rdquo; for the current war.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Early in this administration,&rdquo; Kent wrote, &ldquo;high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trumps-counterterrorism-director-resigns-over-iran-war\/\" title=\"Trump&#039;s counterterrorism ... resigns over ...\">sowed pro-war sentiments<\/a> to encourage a war with Iran. This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that you should strike now, there was a clear path to a swift victory.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Kent then compared those recent developments to the falsehoods that triggered America&rsquo;s war in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/tim-walzs-former-squadmate-gone-iraq-hiding-desk-video\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Iraq<\/a> two decades ago.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women,&rdquo; Kent added. &ldquo;We cannot make this mistake again.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In closing, Kent begged Trump to reconsider the Iran War.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I pray that you will reflect upon what we are doing in Iran, and who we are doing it for,&rdquo; Kent wrote. &ldquo;The time for bold action is now. You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos. You hold the cards.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Kent, who served under Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, sent shock waves across social media with his resignation letter.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, some X users blasted Kent, while others hailed him as a hero.<\/p>\n<p>Former Deputy White House Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich, for instance, called the combat veteran a &ldquo;crazed egomaniac.&rdquo; Budowich also called the man who lost his wife in a Middle Eastern war a &ldquo;loser.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Joe Kent is a crazed egomaniac who was often at the center of national security leaks, while rarely (never?) producing any actual work.<\/p>\n<p>He spent all of his time working to subvert the chain of command and undermine the President of the United States.<\/p>\n<p>This isn&rsquo;t some principled&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/bcv0Kh6XVH\">https:\/\/t.co\/bcv0Kh6XVH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Taylor Budowich (@Budowich) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Budowich\/status\/2033911541347586143?\">March 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Likewise, Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska declared, &ldquo;Good riddance.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Anti-Semitism is an evil I detest,&rdquo; Bacon wrote, presumably referring to Kent&rsquo;s references to the government of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/us-not-happy-israel-latest-iran-strikes-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Israel<\/a>, &ldquo;and we <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/parents-who-lost-daughters-at-camp-mystic-their-deaths-were-100-preventable\/\" title=\"Parents who lost daughters at Camp Mystic: Their deaths were &#039;100% preventable&#039;\">surely don&#038;rsquo<\/a>;t want it in our government.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Good riddance. Iran has murdered more than a thousand Americans. Their EFP land mines were the deadliest in Iraq. Anti-Semitism is an evil I detest, and we surely don&rsquo;t want it in our government. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/XuJBctblsd\">https:\/\/t.co\/XuJBctblsd<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Rep. Don Bacon &#127482;&#127480;&#9992;&#65039;&#127949;&#65039;&#11088;&#65039;&#127894;&#65039; (@RepDonBacon) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepDonBacon\/status\/2033900949790396479?\">March 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Will Chamberlain of the Article III Project opted against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nbc-news-covers-the-biden-administration\/\" title=\"NBC News Covers the Biden Administration\u00a0\">ad hominem attacks<\/a>, choosing instead to attempt to refute Kent&rsquo;s letter point-by-point.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Going through this letter in detail:<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Neither did ISIS. And yet you applaud their defeat later on in your letter. Just because an adversary isn&rsquo;t an &ldquo;imminent threat&rdquo; doesn&rsquo;t mean you should wait until that threat is&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/P1CIyKRwQi\">https:\/\/t.co\/P1CIyKRwQi<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Will Chamberlain (@willchamberlain) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/willchamberlain\/status\/2033911014329037083?\">March 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, the war in Iran has many detractors on the political right. As one might expect, those detractors praised Kent for his resignation.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I hope this wakes some people up,&rdquo; former Navy SEAL and current podcaster Shawn Ryan wrote.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Sometimes the most impactful statement you can make is a strong resignation. It&rsquo;s unfortunate it&rsquo;s come down to this. God&rsquo;s speed <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/joekent16jan19?\">@joekent16jan19<\/a> I hope this wakes some people up. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3zWc1g0I5c\">https:\/\/t.co\/3zWc1g0I5c<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Shawn Ryan (@ShawnRyan762) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ShawnRyan762\/status\/2033907191099298212?\">March 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Joe Kent is a GREAT AMERICAN HERO,&rdquo; former Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia wrote. &ldquo;God bless him and protect him!&rdquo;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Joe Kent is a GREAT AMERICAN HERO.<br \/> God bless him and protect him! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7VZYhrOM5O\">https:\/\/t.co\/7VZYhrOM5O<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene&#127482;&#127480; (@FmrRepMTG) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FmrRepMTG\/status\/2033914076741382642?\">March 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Likewise, retired judge Andrew Napolitano, a current podcaster perhaps best known for his many appearances over the years as a legal analyst on Fox News, praised Kent and called for his now-former boss to follow suit.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Integrity. A Hero Emerges from the dark. Where&rsquo;s Tulsi?&rdquo; Napolitano wrote.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Integrity. A Hero Emerges from the dark. Where&rsquo;s Tulsi? <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Rjueil5UCn\">https:\/\/t.co\/Rjueil5UCn<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Judge Napolitano (@Judgenap) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Judgenap\/status\/2033914609581609318?\">March 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>In short, those who have supported Trump&rsquo;s war in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/anchored-oil-tanker-hit-strike-iran-begins-targeting-worlds-critical-oil-infrastructure\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Iran<\/a> decried what they perceived as Kent&rsquo;s treachery, whereas those on the right who have opposed that war welcomed the resignation as an act of heroism.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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He said he cannot support the war in Iran, arguing that Iran did not present an immediate threat and that the war was pushed by pressure from Israel and influential American supporters. Kent, a 20-year Army veteran who also lost his wife, Shannon Kent, a Navy petty officer who died in a 2019 Syria bombing, addressed his letter to President Donald Trump. He asserted that he had supported the foreign-policy goals Trump campaigned on and suggested that, up to June 2025, the Middle East wars had been costly traps that harmed Americans\u2019 lives and prosperity.<\/p>\n<p>In his resignation letter, Kent suggested an Israeli-led misinformation campaign helped push the administration toward a war with Iran, comparing this to the misinformation that led to the Iraq War. He urged Trump to reconsider the Iran conflict and to reflect on whom the actions would benefit, urging a new direction for the country. The post sparked a range of reactions on social media, with some viewers criticizing Kent and others praising him as a hero. For example, Taylor Budowich branded him a \u201ccrazy egomaniac\u201d and a \u201closer,\u201d while Don Bacon expressed a blunt \u201cGood riddance\u201d and condemned anti-Semitism.<\/p>\n<p>On the right, some figures chose to respond with counterarguments rather than insults. Will Chamberlain of the Article III Project offered a point-by-point critique of Kent\u2019s claims. Supporters of Kent\u2019s stance against the Iran war included figures like Shawn Ryan, who said the resignation could wake people up, and Marjorie Taylor Greene, who called Kent a \u201cgreat American hero.\u201d Former Judge Andrew Napolitano also praised Kent as a principled figure. In summary, Kent\u2019s decision drew mixed reactions: supporters of Trump\u2019s Iran policy defended the war, while opponents viewed the resignation as a principled stand against it<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2580915,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Joe-Kent-resigns.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[75205,49758,6522,3634],"class_list":["post-2580914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-iran-war-2","tag-nctc","tag-resignation","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Joe-Kent-resigns.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2580914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2580914"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2580914\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2580918,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2580914\/revisions\/2580918"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2580915"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2580914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2580914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2580914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}