The head of the United States' National Counterterrorism Center, Joseph Kent, resigned over the US-Israel war in Iran, saying in a letter to President Donald Trump posted on X on Tuesday that "Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation."
"I 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 lobby," Joseph Kent wrote in a letter to Trump posted on X.
Some experts have said an imminent threat would be required for the United States to launch a war under current law.
Kent and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence also did not immediately respond.
Kent has long been known for his "America First" beliefs and has said he opposes US military interventions abroad.
Intel officials surprised by Kent's resignation
Intelligence officials were caught off guard by the news.
Kent is close with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who has kept a low profile since the war in Iran began.
Gabbard has not issued any public statements and has only appeared in public during the dignified transfer of American soldiers killed earlier this month during the conflict with Iran.
The National Intelligence Council, which is overseen by Gabbard's office, issued several assessments both before and after the US strikes began that highlighted the risks of US intervention.
Those reports indicated the Iranian government was unlikely to collapse and Iran would likely retaliate against US outposts in the region and Gulf allies, as Reuters previously reported.
Kent has been criticized by Democrats for his associations with far-right figures, and Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, said he should never have been confirmed to head the counterterrorism office.
"But on this point, he is right: There was no credible evidence of an imminent threat from Iran that would justify rushing the United States into another war of choice," Warner said in a statement.
Last year, Kent pushed intelligence analysts to rework an assessment on Tren De Aragua, a Venezuelan gang, that did not support the White House's argument that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was directing its operations. The administration had portrayed the gang as a security threat to justify its immigration crackdown.