Vice President J.D. Vance is now at the center of a growing internal divide over the Iran war after a secret meeting with a top intelligence official just before a dramatic resignation.
Joe Kent, former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, privately met with Vance roughly 24 hours before stepping down.
The meeting, which also included Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, took place shortly before Kent publicly broke with the administration.
According to reports, Kent informed Vance of his plans to resign and criticize the war.
A White House official said Vance encouraged Kent to speak directly with President Donald Trump before making a final decision.
“The VP encouraged him to be respectful to POTUS,” the official said.
Hours later, Kent released a resignation letter sharply attacking the Iran operation.
He claimed the conflict was launched “due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war,” Kent wrote.
Kent also accused Trump of abandoning the non-interventionist principles he campaigned on.
His resignation immediately exposed a widening divide inside the administration.
Vance and Gabbard are both seen as part of the “America First” faction that has warned against deeper involvement in foreign conflicts.
Kent’s departure appears to align with that faction’s concerns.
However, it remains unclear whether Vance warned other officials about Kent’s plans before the resignation became public.
The lack of clarity has fueled questions about how much the vice president knew and when.
President Donald Trump responded quickly to Kent’s exit.
“When I read his statement I realized that it’s a good thing that he’s out,” Trump said. “He said that Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat.”
Trump made clear that dissent on that point would not be tolerated within his administration.
“When somebody is working with us that says they didn’t think Iran is a threat — we don’t want those people,” he added.
Kent’s resignation has intensified debate within Trump’s political base.
Some prominent “America First” voices praised his decision, as the Daily Mail reported.
Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) called Kent “a great American hero.”
Commentator Candace Owens went further, criticizing Trump and urging troops to consider refusing deployment.
Others within the Republican Party pushed back.
House Speaker Mike Johnson reiterated the administration’s position that Iran posed an immediate threat, particularly regarding its nuclear program.
The internal divide highlights a broader clash between factions within the administration.
On one side are officials pushing for a more restrained foreign policy.
On the other hand are those backing a harder line against Iran and stronger support for Israel.
The timing of Kent’s resignation has added to concerns.
Gas prices have risen since the conflict began, and instability in key oil shipping routes has increased global tension.
Iran has also responded with missile strikes across the region, escalating fears of a wider conflict.
Vance now finds himself in a delicate position.
He has long expressed skepticism about foreign wars, but is also tasked with supporting the administration’s strategy.
For now, he has not publicly broken with Trump on the issue.
But the secret meeting and Kent’s resignation have placed him squarely at the center of the administration’s most serious internal split since the war began.
