Former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, is advocating for the immediate withdrawal of US forces from the Middle East in response to the ongoing conflict with Iran. Kent argues that pulling out troops now could prevent future mass casualty attacks. He believes former President Donald Trump still has the political leverage to declare victory and argues that this opportunity will be lost if more casualties occur.

Kent’s comments were made in a post shared on platform X, highlighting a recent statement from US Central Command (CENTCOM). According to CENTCOM, two US service members died, and another went missing in Jordan after an Iranian attack on July 17. Search efforts led to the discovery of unidentified remains at the site, and an examination is underway to confirm the identity.

CENTCOM also reported an incident in northern Iraq where a US service member died on July 18 following a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from an attack drone. A second service member sustained a minor injury and is receiving medical care.

Kent, who resigned from his counterterrorism position earlier this year, expressed his disagreement with the ongoing Iran conflict. He claims the war started due to pressures from Israel and its influential American lobby, stating that Iran posed no direct threat.

In a recent post, Kent discussed the strategies for restoring order by withdrawing military presence from the region, arguing that US bases in the area are outdated and present liabilities. He suggests that eliminating these targets would remove Iranian justifications for regional aggression, such as disrupting shipping in strategic waterways. Kent proposes offering sanctions relief as an incentive for compliance with the freedom of navigation.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comments regarding Kent’s statements.