Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned, stating his opposition to the Trump administration's potential war in Iran and citing pressure from Israel. His past ties to right-wing figures and controversial views were also highlighted.
Joe Kent , the director of the National Counterterrorism Center , announced his resignation on Tuesday, saying he 'cannot in good conscience' back the Trump administration's war in Iran .Kent said on social media 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.
'Kent, a former political candidate with connections to right-wing extremists, was confirmed to his post last July on a 52-44 vote.RELATED STORY | Iran’s leadership hit again: Two senior security chiefs killed, Israel saysAs head of the National Counterterrorism Center, Kent was in charge of an agency tasked with analyzing and detecting terrorist threats.Before entering President Donald Trump's administration, Kent ran two unsuccessful campaigns for Congress in Washington state. He also served in the military, seeing 11 deployments as a Green Beret, followed by work at the CIA.Democrats strongly opposed Kent's confirmation, pointing to his past ties to far-right figures and conspiracy theories. During his 2022 congressional campaign, Kent paid Graham Jorgensen, a member of the far-right military group the Proud Boys, for consulting work. He also worked closely with Joey Gibson, the founder of the Christian nationalist group Patriot Prayer, and attracted support from a variety of far-right figures.During his Senate confirmation hearing, Kent also refused to distance himself from a conspiracy theory that federal agents instigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the Capitol, as well as false claims that Trump, a Republican, won the 2020 election over Democrat Joe Biden.Democrats grilled Kent on his participation in a group chat on Signal that was used by Trump's national security team to discuss sensitive military plans.RELATED STORY | Trump asks allies to deploy warships as Iran vows to block oil flowStill, Republicans praised Kent's counterterrorism qualifications, pointing to his military and intelligence experience.Sen. Tom Cotton, the GOP chair of the intelligence committee, said in a floor speech that Kent had 'dedicated his career to fighting terrorism and keeping Americans safe.'
Joe Kent Iran Resignation Trump Administration National Counterterrorism Center Right-Wing
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent resigns over Iran warCENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper says Operation Epic Fury has carried out more than 6,000 combat flights and destroyed over 100 Iranian vessels as US forces target Tehran’s missile, drone and naval capabilities.
Read more »
Joe Kent Resigns as Director of National Counterterrorism Center, Opposing Trump’s War Against IranSource of breaking news and analysis, insightful commentary and original reporting, curated and written specifically for the new generation of independent and conservative thinkers.
Read more »
National Counterterrorism Center director resigns over Iran warDan De Luce is a reporter for the NBC News Investigative Unit.
Read more »
National Counterterrorism Center director resigns over war in IranDirector of the National Counterterrorism Center Joe Kent announced Tuesday that he would be resigning from his position due to the war in Iran.
Read more »
National Counterterrorism Director Resigns Over Iran PolicyJoe Kent, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned, citing his inability to support the Trump administration's Iran policy, claiming the war was initiated due to pressure from Israel and its lobby. Kent, with past ties to far-right groups, was confirmed last July and faced strong opposition from Democrats.
Read more »
National Counterterrorism Director Resigns Over Iran WarJoe Kent, the National Counterterrorism Center director, resigned, citing the decision to wage war against Iran despite the lack of imminent threat. He accused Israeli officials and some media figures of manipulating President Trump into the conflict.
Read more »