Joe Kent is a former U.S. Army Green Beret and CIA paramilitary officer who became a pro‑Trump political figure and, more recently, the (now former) head of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center under President Donald Trump.

Quick Scoop: Who is Joe Kent?

  • Background: Born April 11, 1980, in Sweet Home, Oregon; he grew up in the Pacific Northwest before enlisting in the U.S. Army as a young adult.
  • Military career: Served in the 75th Ranger Regiment and then Army Special Forces (Green Berets), completing around eleven combat deployments, mainly in Iraq, the Middle East, and North Africa.
  • CIA work: After retiring from the Army around 2018, he joined the CIA’s paramilitary arm, working in covert operations and intelligence roles.
  • Personal story: His first wife, Shannon Kent, a U.S. service member, was killed in a suicide bombing in Manbij, Syria, in January 2019, an event that pushed him further into public advocacy and politics.
  • Political turn: Became a prominent “America First” conservative voice, writing and speaking in right‑leaning media, and ran as a pro‑Trump Republican congressional candidate in Washington’s 3rd District, styling himself as an insurgent against the GOP establishment.
  • Trump-era role: Under President Trump’s current term, he was nominated and confirmed in 2025 as director of the National Counterterrorism Center, after serving as a senior advisor and acting chief of staff to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
  • Recent news: In March 2026, he resigned from the counterterrorism chief role, publicly citing disagreement over U.S. involvement in the ongoing Iran conflict, though reporting has also focused on his far‑right associations and controversies over his past statements and activities.

At-a-glance profile

[9][1] [7][9][1] [3][1][7] [5][1][3] [10][3][5] [2][6][9][1] [8][6][1]
Category Details
Full name Joseph Clay Kent
Born April 11, 1980, Sweet Home, Oregon
Notable service U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Beret), ~11 combat deployments; CIA paramilitary officer
Key personal event First wife, Shannon Kent, killed in 2019 suicide bombing in Manbij, Syria
Political identity Pro‑Trump “America First” Republican, associated with the populist right
Top government role Director, National Counterterrorism Center (2025–2026) under President Donald Trump
Latest development Resigned March 2026 over disagreements about U.S. policy in the Iran war and amid scrutiny of his far‑right ties
Many recent opinion pieces and forum‑style discussions frame him either as a highly decorated patriot unfairly targeted by the establishment, or as a dangerous far‑right loyalist elevated to an extremely sensitive security role.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.