AP Alert Top counterterrorism official resigns over Trump's Iran war, says Iran posed no imminent threat SEUNG MIN KIM Associated Press Mar 17, 2026 Mar 17, 2026 Updated Apr 2, 2026 0 Joe Kent, Director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, speaks during a congressional debate at KATU studios Oct. 7, 2024, in Portland, Ore. Jenny Kane, Associated Press Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save SEUNG MIN KIM Associated Press kAm(p$wx}v%~} — y@6 z6?E[ E96 5:C64E@C @7 E96 }2E:@?2= r@F?E6CE6CC@C:D> r6?E6C[ 2??@F?465 9:D C6D:8?2E:@? @? %F6D52J[ 4:E:?8 9:D 4@?46C?D 23@FE E96 ;FDE:7:42E:@? 7@C >:=:E2CJ DEC:<6D :? xC2? 2?5 D2J:?8 96 “42??@E :? 8@@5 4@?D4:6?46” 324< E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@?’D H2C]k^AmkAm“xC2? A@D65 ?@ :>>:?6?E E9C62E E@ @FC ?2E:@?[ 2?5 :E :D 4=62C E92E H6 DE2CE65 E9:D H2C 5F6 E@ AC6DDFC6 7C@> xDC26= 2?5 :ED A@H6C7F= p>6C:42? =@33J[” z6?E D2:5 :? 2 DE2E6>6?E A@DE65 @? D@4:2= >65:2]k^Am kAmz6?E[ 2 7@C>6C A@=:E:42= 42?5:52E6 H:E9 4@??64E:@?D E@ C:89E\H:?8 6IEC6>:DED[ H2D 4@?7:C>65 E@ 9:D A@DE =2DE yF=J @? 2 da\cc G@E6] pD 9625 @7 E96 }2E:@?2= r@F?E6CE6CC@C:D> r6?E6C[ 96 H2D :? 492C86 @7 2? 286?4J E2D<65 H:E9 2?2=JK:?8 2?5 56E64E:?8 E6CC@C:DE E9C62ED]k^Am People are also reading… Smyth supervisors expected to take up junkyard permit request Smyth officials urge US Forest Service to reopen Grindstone Campground After 888 days, Smyth Animal Rescue dog finds her home New attorney is representing Wolfe as case moves forward Work on Exit 39 truck stop expected to move more quickly now Spanberger signs bills that tighten controls on guns Spanberger signs Virginia minimum wage increase Spanberger signs bills on probation, manufactured protein and Confederate license plates Manhunt ends with fatal shooting of Henry County suspect Top Smyth DAR essay wins state competition Virginia football QB Chandler Morris denied preliminary injunction in pursuit of 7th year Chilhowie switches to biodegradable bags for yard waste Virginia Tech softball's Bre Warren goes to court in pursuit of playing this season Bill requires study of state’s electric utility infrastructure US and Iran agree to 2-week ceasefire as Trump seizes diplomatic offramp kAmw:D C6D:8?2E:@? C67=64ED F?62D6 H:E9:? !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A’D 32D6 23@FE E96 H2C 2?5 D9@HD E92E BF6DE:@?D 23@FE E96 ;FDE:7:42E:@? 7@C E96 FD6 @7 7@C46 :? xC2? 6IE6?5 E@ E96 C:89E @7 %CF>AVD 32D6 2?5 E@ D6?:@C >6>36CD @7 9:D 25>:?:DEC2E:@?]k^AmkAm%96 492?86 :? A6CD@??6= 2E @?6 @7 E96 ?2E:@?VD E@A 4@F?E6CE6CC@C:D> @77:46D 4@>6D 2>:5 96:89E6?65 4@?46C?D 23@FE E6CC@C:D> :? E96 9@>6=2?5 7@==@H:?8 2EE24<D H:E9:? E96 A2DE H66< 2E 2 |:49:82? DJ?28@8F6 2?5 2 ':C8:?:2 F?:G6CD:EJ]k^Am kAm%CF>A 92D @776C65 D9:7E:?8 C62D@?D 7@C E96 DEC:<6D 2?5 92D AFD965 324< @? 4=2:>D E92E xDC26= 7@C465 E96 &]$] E@ 24E] t2C=:6C E9:D >@?E9[ w@FD6 $A62<6C |:<6 y@9?D@?[ #\{2][ DF886DE65 E92E E96 (9:E6 w@FD6 36=:6G65 xDC26= H2D 56E6C>:?65 E@ 24E @? :ED @H?[ =62G:?8 E96 #6AF3=:42? AC6D:56?E H:E9 2 “G6CJ 5:77:4F=E 564:D:@?]”k^Am kAmp DA@<6DA6CD@? 7@C s:C64E@C @7 }2E:@?2= x?E6==:86?46 %F=D: v2332C5 5:5 ?@E :>>65:2E6=J C6DA@?5 E@ BF6DE:@?D 23@FE z6?EVD C6D:8?2E:@?] %96 (9:E6 w@FD6 2=D@ 925 ?@ :>>65:2E6 4@>>6?E @? z6?EVD C6D:8?2E:@?]k^Am kAms6>@4C2ED DEC@?8=J @AA@D65 z6?E’D 4@?7:C>2E:@?[ A@:?E:?8 E@ 9:D A2DE E:6D E@ 72C\C:89E 7:8FC6D 2?5 4@?DA:C24J E96@C:6D] qFE 7@==@H:?8 z6?EVD C6D:8?2E:@?[ $6?] |2C< (2C?6C @7 ':C8:?:2[ E96 E@A s6>@4C2E @? E96 $6?2E6 x?E6==:86?46 r@>>:EE66[ D2:5 z6?EVD 4@?46C?D 23@FE E96 H2C :? xC2? H6C6 ;FDE:7:65]k^AmkAm“x DEC@?8=J 5:D28C66 H:E9 >2?J @7 E96 A@D:E:@?D 96 92D 6DA@FD65 @G6C E96 J62CD[ A2CE:4F=2C=J E9@D6 E92E C:D< A@=:E:4:K:?8 @FC :?E6==:86?46 4@>>F?:EJ[Q (2C?6C D2:5] “qFE @? E9:D A@:?E[ 96 :D C:89Ei %96C6 H2D ?@ 4C65:3=6 6G:56?46 @7 2? :>>:?6?E E9C62E 7C@> xC2? E92E H@F=5 ;FDE:7J CFD9:?8 E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D :?E@ 2?@E96C H2C @7 49@:46 :? E96 |:55=6 t2DE]”k^Am kAmv2332C5[ rxp s:C64E@C y@9? #2E4=:776 2?5 uqx s:C64E@C z2D9 !2E6= 2C6 D4965F=65 E@ E6DE:7J 367@C6 =2H>2<6CD =2E6C E9:D H66< 23@FE E9C62ED 724:?8 E96 &]$][ 2? 2??F2= 962C:?8 E92E E9:D J62C :D =:<6=J E@ 36 E2<6? FA 3J BF6DE:@?D 23@FE E96 xC2? H2C 2?5 :? A2CE:4F=2C E96 C6G6=2E:@? E92E @FE52E65 :?E6==:86?46 =:<6=J =65 E@ E96 &]$] 7:C:?8 2 >:DD:=6 E92E 9:E 2? 6=6>6?E2CJ D49@@= :? xC2? 2?5 <:==65 >@C6 E92? `ed A6@A=6]k^AmkAmp G6E6C2? 2?5 7@C>6C r@?8C6DDH@>2? 7C@> w2H2::[ v2332C5 92D :? E96 A2DE 4C:E:4:K65 E2=< @7 >:=:E2CJ DEC:<6D :? xC2?] $:I J62CD 28@ D96 D2:5 E92E Q2? 2== @FE H2C H:E9 xC2? H@F=5 >2<6 E96 H2CD E92E H6’G6 D66? :? xC2B 2?5 p7892?:DE2? =@@< =:<6 2 A:4?:4] xE H:== 36 72C >@C6 4@DE=J :? =:G6D[ p>6C:42? =:G6D[ 2?5 p>6C:42? E2IA2J6C 5@==2CD — 2?5 2== E@H2C5D 244@>A=:D9:?8 H92E 8@2=n (92E @3;64E:G6n”k^Am kAmv2332C5VD @77:46 5:5 ?@E C6DA@?5 H96? 2D<65 :7 v2332C5 DFAA@CE65 E96 DEC:<6D[ 2?5 D96 92D ?@E A@DE65 23@FE xC2? @? 96C D@4:2= >65:2 244@F?ED D:?46 E96 DEC:<6D 3682? =2DE >@?E9]k^AmkAmq67@C6 6?E6C:?8 %CF>AVD 25>:?:DEC2E:@?[ z6?E C2? EH@ F?DF446DD7F= 42>A2:8?D 7@C r@?8C6DD :? (2D9:?8E@? DE2E6] w6 2=D@ D6CG65 :? E96 >:=:E2CJ[ D66:?8 `` 56A=@J>6?ED 2D 2 vC66? q6C6E[ 7@==@H65 3J H@C< 2E E96 rxp]k^AmkAmsFC:?8 9:D a_aa 4@?8C6DD:@?2= 42>A2:8?[ z6?E A2:5 vC292> y@C86?D6?[ 2 >6>36C @7 E96 72C\C:89E >:=:E2CJ 8C@FA E96 !C@F5 q@JD[ 7@C 4@?DF=E:?8 H@C<] w6 2=D@ H@C<65 4=@D6=J H:E9 y@6J v:3D@?[ E96 7@F?56C @7 E96 r9C:DE:2? ?2E:@?2=:DE 8C@FA !2EC:@E !C2J6C[ 2?5 2EEC24E65 DFAA@CE 7C@> 2 G2C:6EJ @7 72C\C:89E 7:8FC6D]k^Am kAmsFC:?8 9:D $6?2E6 4@?7:C>2E:@? 962C:?8[ z6?E 2=D@ C67FD65 E@ 5:DE2?46 9:>D6=7 7C@> 2 4@?DA:C24J E96@CJ E92E 7656C2= 286?ED :?DE:82E65 E96 y2?] e[ a_a`[ 2EE24< 2E E96 r2A:E@=[ 2D H6== 2D 72=D6 4=2:>D E92E %CF>A H@? E96 a_a_ 6=64E:@? @G6C s6>@4C2E y@6 q:56?]k^AmkAms6>@4C2ED 8C:==65 z6?E @? 9:D A2CE:4:A2E:@? :? 2 8C@FA 492E @? $:8?2= E92E H2D FD65 3J %CF>A’D ?2E:@?2= D64FC:EJ E62> E@ 5:D4FDD D6?D:E:G6 >:=:E2CJ A=2?D]k^AmkAm$E:==[ #6AF3=:42?D AC2:D65 z6?E’D 4@F?E6CE6CC@C:D> BF2=:7:42E:@?D[ A@:?E:?8 E@ 9:D >:=:E2CJ 2?5 :?E6==:86?46 6IA6C:6?46]k^Am kAm$6?] %@> r@EE@?[ E96 v~! 492:C @7 E96 :?E6==:86?46 4@>>:EE66[ D2:5 :? 2 7=@@C DA6649 E92E z6?E 925 “565:42E65 9:D 42C66C E@ 7:89E:?8 E6CC@C:D> 2?5 <66A:?8 p>6C:42?D D276]”k^Am 0 Comments Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Republicans launch a voting bill debate that could last days or even weeks The bill would require Americans to prove they are U.S. citizens before registering to vote and to show ID at the polls, among other things. Trump fumes at NATO for refusing to help secure Strait of Hormuz, embraces going it alone Trump called the moment a "great test" for NATO and said the alliance made "a very foolish mistake" by rejecting him. Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, who investigated Russia-Trump campaign ties, dies He transformed the nation's premier law enforcement agency into a terrorism-fighting force after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Trump urges allies to help in Strait of Hormuz, but insists US 'doesn't need anybody' President Donald Trump is calling on U.S. allies to send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which one-fift… Photos from the Mideast as Iran war continues Photos from the ground as the war on Iran launched by the United States and Israel enters its fourth week. Watch Now: Related Video Unable to play video AP top stories April 12 US, Iran hold separate talks with Pakistan's PM ahead of negotiations US, Iran hold separate talks with Pakistan's PM ahead of negotiations AP top stories April 10 AP top stories April 10 Climate change is outpacing evolution. Scientists are using DNA to catch up Climate change is outpacing evolution. Scientists are using DNA to catch up
Republicans launch a voting bill debate that could last days or even weeks The bill would require Americans to prove they are U.S. citizens before registering to vote and to show ID at the polls, among other things.
Trump fumes at NATO for refusing to help secure Strait of Hormuz, embraces going it alone Trump called the moment a "great test" for NATO and said the alliance made "a very foolish mistake" by rejecting him.
Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, who investigated Russia-Trump campaign ties, dies He transformed the nation's premier law enforcement agency into a terrorism-fighting force after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Trump urges allies to help in Strait of Hormuz, but insists US 'doesn't need anybody' President Donald Trump is calling on U.S. allies to send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which one-fift…
Photos from the Mideast as Iran war continues Photos from the ground as the war on Iran launched by the United States and Israel enters its fourth week.
