Joe Kent, former National Counterterrorism Center Director, calls for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the Middle East amidst escalating tensions with Iran. Kent emphasized the urgency of this action on Sunday, stating, “Get our troops out now before we suffer a mass casualty attack. Break the escalation trap.” He added that President Donald Trump retains political strength to end U.S. involvement without further losses.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comments on Monday.
U.S. Service Member Casualty Reports
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) recently announced the death of two U.S. service members following an Iranian attack in Jordan on July 17. They discovered unidentified remains at the site. Efforts to confirm the identity of these remains continue.
In another incident, a U.S. service member died in northern Iraq on July 18 during the controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from an Iranian attack drone. One other service member sustained minor injuries and is receiving medical care.
Joe Kent’s Stance on the Iran Conflict
Kent, who resigned from his counterterrorism post earlier in the year, has been vocal against U.S. involvement in the Iran war. In his resignation, he stated, “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation.” He attributed the initiation of the conflict to pressure from Israel and its lobby in the U.S.
In a recent online post, Kent proposed withdrawing U.S. troops and military infrastructure from the region to limit Iran’s military targets. He argued this move would not be a retreat but a strategic adaptation to modern warfare. Removing troops would also diminish Iran’s justification for aggressive actions in the region. Kent suggested offering sanctions relief in return for ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, thereby stabilizing regional relations.