Joe Kent on his wife’s legacy and refusal to support the war in Iran
17 march 2026 в 21:37
Joe Kent, the former director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, continues the legacy of his late wife, Shannon Kent. The self-proclaimed «man with the gold star» has focused his life on speaking out against war, despite his traditionally right-wing political views. His opposition to the war in Iran made headlines when he resigned from his position in the Donald Trump administration in March 2026, citing Shannon’s death as one of the reasons for his decision.
Shannon was a senior chief petty officer in the U.S. Navy and a highly regarded cryptologist.
Joe and Shannon met in 2013 during a selection course for Intelligence Support. A year later, they got married.
Shannon left behind two sons, whom she had with Joe. Their boys were just 3 years old and 18 months when their mother passed away.
Unfortunately, Shannon was killed in a bombing in Manbij in January 2019. She was 35 years old. At the time, Shannon was part of a group meeting with local military officials and had entered a local restaurant in Manbij, Syria, when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device, killing her and three other Americans who were part of the Combined Joint Task Force — Operation Inherent Resolve.
Shannon’s death changed Joe’s views on military plans, as he has stated over the years. In a previous conversation with ConcernedVets, Joe said that his wife’s death did not «necessarily» change his opinion but «reinforced some things».
«Why are young men and women in Afghanistan, in Syria, in Iraq right now? What are they doing there?» he asked at the time.
Joe also mentioned his late wife in his resignation from the Trump administration in 2026.
«As a veteran who has deployed to combat 11 times, and as a gold star husband who lost my beloved wife Shannon in a war waged by Israel, I cannot support sending the next generation to fight a war that does not benefit the American people and does not justify the loss of American lives», - Joe wrote in a letter to the president in March 2026
Shannon was a senior chief petty officer in the U.S. Navy and a highly regarded cryptologist.
Joe and Shannon met in 2013 during a selection course for Intelligence Support. A year later, they got married.
Shannon left behind two sons, whom she had with Joe. Their boys were just 3 years old and 18 months when their mother passed away.
Unfortunately, Shannon was killed in a bombing in Manbij in January 2019. She was 35 years old. At the time, Shannon was part of a group meeting with local military officials and had entered a local restaurant in Manbij, Syria, when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device, killing her and three other Americans who were part of the Combined Joint Task Force — Operation Inherent Resolve.
Shannon’s death changed Joe’s views on military plans, as he has stated over the years. In a previous conversation with ConcernedVets, Joe said that his wife’s death did not «necessarily» change his opinion but «reinforced some things».
«Why are young men and women in Afghanistan, in Syria, in Iraq right now? What are they doing there?» he asked at the time.
Joe also mentioned his late wife in his resignation from the Trump administration in 2026.
«As a veteran who has deployed to combat 11 times, and as a gold star husband who lost my beloved wife Shannon in a war waged by Israel, I cannot support sending the next generation to fight a war that does not benefit the American people and does not justify the loss of American lives», - Joe wrote in a letter to the president in March 2026
© Smirnova Olga
