Joe Kent
Joe Kent (b. 1980) was the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center who became the first high-ranking Trump official to resign, months after "been cut out of intelligence briefings,"[1], as a matter of conscience over the war against Iran, in March 2026.[2] He earlier was chief-of-staff for the Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Previously, Kent ran as a Trump-endorsed Republican candidate for Washington's 4th Congressional District. Kent ran against RINO incumbent Jaime Herrera Beutler,[3] who was one of only 10 Republicans to vote for the impeachment of Trump in January 2021.
A former Green Beret, Kent has reportedly received financial support from Stephen Wynn and Peter Thiel, and Kent also declared the following at the September âJustice for J6â rally in D.C.:[4]
| â | Itâs banana republic stuff when political prisoners are arrested and denied due process. | â |
Personal Life
Kent lost his wife, who fought against ISIS, due to a terrorist attack in Syria.
References
- â Former counterterrorism chief Joe Kent under FBI investigation for alleged classified leaks. Fox News, March 18, 2026
- â https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5787478-trump-aide-joe-kent-resigns-iran-war/
- â https://www.joekentforcongress.com
- â https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/04/02/trump-conservatives-emergency-meeting-gop-russia-00022419