Former Intel Chief Says Trump Should Exit Middle East Now While He Can

Clear Facts

• Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent is urging President Trump to withdraw all U.S. forces from the Middle East and declare victory
• Kent resigned from his position earlier this year citing opposition to the Iran conflict
• Trump announced Saturday he canceled planned strikes against Iran after receiving requests to negotiate, though Iran denies making such a request

Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent is making a renewed push for President Donald Trump to pull American troops out of the Middle East entirely.

“President Trump again called off strikes on Iran—this is a good decision. It is clear that he wants out of this war, for all the obvious reasons. It is also clear that Iran will not simply return the SOH [Strait of Hormuz] to how it was before the war. We need to accept that we can’t use military force to open the SOH (we’ve tried that) without a catastrophic escalation into a bloody, years-long war,” Kent wrote.

“Now is the time for President Trump to pull our troops out of the region. He can declare victory (reiterate the previously stated goal—no nukes—was met) & quietly use the carrot of sanctions relief to open the SOH once our troops are out of harm’s way. If we stay, we risk accelerating an escalation/retaliation cycle we can’t control,” he added.

Kent’s opposition to the Iran war led directly to his resignation from the National Counterterrorism Center director role earlier this year. His position reflects growing concern among some conservative voices that prolonged Middle Eastern engagement serves neither American strategic interests nor the safety of our servicemembers.

The White House has not yet commented on Kent’s recommendations.

President Trump signaled a potential diplomatic opening in a Saturday night Truth Social post, announcing the cancellation of planned military strikes against Iran.

“The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II. Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to. This would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat,” Trump wrote.

“Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL. The Country of Israel joins me in this commitment. Get to work, everybody, and get it DONE. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added.

Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency immediately disputed Trump’s account, calling the president’s claims “nothing but a new lie.” The agency cited unnamed Iranian military figures in rejecting the assertion that Iran had requested American restraint.

The conflicting narratives underscore the complex diplomatic terrain Trump is navigating. While the president appears committed to finding an off-ramp from military escalation, Tehran’s public denials complicate any potential path forward.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump indicated that negotiations would begin imminently.

“It begins tomorrow afternoon,” the president said.

Kent’s argument for withdrawal centers on a simple premise: America has achieved its core objective of preventing Iranian nuclear development, and continuing military presence only invites unnecessary risk. His perspective resonates with the America First foreign policy vision that prioritizes avoiding endless Middle Eastern conflicts over maintaining regional military hegemony.

The question facing the Trump administration is whether diplomatic leverage can secure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz without keeping American forces in harm’s way. Kent believes sanctions relief offers sufficient incentive for Iranian cooperation once U.S. troops are safely withdrawn.

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