“It is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” Kent wrote on social media.
AMERICA, — Director of the National Counterterrorism Center and Oregon native Joe Kent announced that he’s resigning from the position Tuesday morning.
Kent posted the announcement to social media, saying in part that he “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.”
The resignation comes weeks after a series of U.S. strikes on Iran ignited an ongoing conflict in the region that has led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz — a major trade line for oil and other goods.
With oil prices rising, Trump said he had demanded that roughly a half-dozen countries send warships to ensure ships can pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the Associated Press reported. But his appeals brought no immediate commitments, with many saying they are hesitant to get involved in a war with no defined exit plan and skeptical that they could do more than the U.S. Navy.
Kent, who was born in Sweet Home, Ore., and ran for Congress twice in Washington state District 3, which includes Clark County. He lost both times to Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. He was appointed to the position by President Donald Trump in early 2025.
This is a developing story. Stay with KGW for more updates.
