US counterterrorism chief resigns in opposition to Iran war… Trump: “Glad he’s gone”

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) and an ardent supporter of US President Donald Trump, announced his resignation on the 17th (local time), saying he does not support a war with Iran.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) that day, Kent said, “After much deliberation, I have decided to resign as director effective today.” This marks the first time a senior official within the Trump administration has stepped down since the launch of Operation “Epic Fury,” which carried out large-scale air strikes on Iran.

“I cannot, in good conscience, support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent said, adding, “Iran did not pose an immediate threat to our country, and it is clear we began this war due to pressure from Israel and Israel’s powerful lobbying presence in the United States.”

He also released a photo of a letter he sent to President Trump.

In the letter, Kent criticized “senior Israeli officials and influential figures in the US media” early in the administration (Trump’s second term), saying they “waged a misguided campaign that completely undermined your America First platform and agitated for war with Iran.”

Calling it “a lie,” he added that it was “the same tactic Israel used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that claimed thousands of lives,” stressing, “We cannot make this mistake again.”

Kent also referred to the tragedy of his wife, who was serving in the military and was killed in a suicide bombing in Syria in 2019, and said, “I cannot support sending the next generation to fight and die in wars that do nothing to help Americans and cannot justify the value of American lives.”

He urged a decision to end the war, saying, “If there is a time for bold action, it is now.”

In response, President Trump said, “It was only after reading his statement that I realized I’m glad he’s gone,” adding, “I always thought he was a good person, but I also always thought he was very weak on security.”

He continued, “We don’t want people who say Iran is not a threat,” adding, “They are not smart or savvy people.”

Han Kyung-woo, Hankyung.com reporter case@hankyung.com