What to know
(Video length: 1 minute)
- Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, the nation’s top counterterrorism official resigned Tuesday, saying he “cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran.”
- Kent posted his resignation letter to X/Twitter, writing directly to President Donald Trump, "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 was a controversial pick to lead the National Counterterrorism Center because of his ties to right-wing extremists and support for conspiracy theories. He is a former Green Beret whose wife was killed by a suicide bomber in 2019, while serving in Syria.
Why it matters
Kent is the highest-level official in the Trump administration to resign over the U.S.'s decision to attack Iran. A majority of Americans oppose military action in Iran and don’t like the way Trump is handling the issue, according to the newest PBS News/ NPR/ Marist Poll.
Discussion questions
- Do you agree with Joe Kent's reasons for resigning? Why or why not?
- Do you think Kent's resignation letter will result in more resignations by Trump officials? Why or why not?
For more
Read Joe Kent's full resignation letter here. This News Hour TikTok video was only a minute long. News Hour produced two much longer broadcast segments below. After reading Kent's resignation letter, what are two more important points of information you would have included if you were making this social media post?
Watch PBS News' Who is Joe Kent, the counterterrorism official who resigned over the Iran war?.
Watch PBS News' What Joe Kent's resignation says about U.S. intelligence and counterterrorism efforts.
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