Top US counterterrorism official resigns over Iran war, urging Trump to 'reverse course'

March 18, 2026

Joe Kent, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, has resigned in protest of the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran, becoming the highest-ranking Trump administration official to publicly oppose the war. In his resignation letter, Kent argued that Iran posed no immediate danger to America and accused Israeli officials and U.S. media of spreading false information that manipulated the president into abandoning his "America First" agenda. The White House defended the decision to attack Iran, claiming Trump had solid intelligence showing Iran planned to strike first, while advocacy groups criticized Kent's letter as promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories.

Who is affected

Joe Kent (resigned National Counterterrorism Center Director)
President Donald Trump and his administration
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard
The American people and military service members
Israeli officials and the Israeli government
Iran and the Iranian regime
Pro-Israel advocacy groups (ADL, AIPAC, J Street)
Political figures commenting on the resignation (Mitch McConnell, Marjorie Taylor Greene)

What action is being taken

The U.S. and Israel are conducting military operations/a war against Iran
Joe Kent is resigning from his position
The White House is defending the decision to go to war with Iran
Tulsi Gabbard is backing Trump's decision to go to war
Advocacy groups are publicly criticizing Kent's resignation letter

Why it matters

This resignation matters because it represents the first major internal dissent within the Trump administration regarding the Iran conflict, coming from the nation's top counterterrorism official who would have expert knowledge on threat assessment. Kent's allegations that the president was deceived by Israeli influence and misinformation challenges the administration's justification for war and raises questions about the decision-making process that led to military action. The controversy also highlights deep divisions over U.S.-Israel relations, foreign policy priorities, and what constitutes legitimate criticism versus antisemitism, which could affect both domestic political support for the war and America's international standing.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC