# Ex-counterterrorism official Joe Kent continues calling for US military withdrawal from Middle East

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/ex-counterterrorism-official-joe-kent-continues-calling-for-us-military-withdrawal-from-middle-east/
- Published: 2026-07-20T10:18:32+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-20T13:16:37+00:00
- Original publisher: Fox News (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.foxnews.com/world/ex-counterterrorism-official-joe-kent-continues-calling-us-military-withdrawal-middle-east
- Topics: Americas, Middle East, World

## Key points

- Ex-counterterrorism chief Joe Kent renews call for US Middle East troop withdrawal
- Warns of mass-casualty attack risk amid escalating Iran conflict
- Comes after a US service member's death in Iraq and Jordan remains recovery

## Summary

Former US National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent has repeated his call for American troops to be withdrawn from the Middle East, warning that continued deployment risks a mass-casualty attack amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. His comments come as the United States is reportedly engaged in a ninth consecutive night of strikes on Iran, and follow the death of a US service member in Iraq, with troops separately recovering unidentified remains linked to an attack in Jordan.

Writing on X on Sunday, Kent argued that President Trump still has sufficient political capital domestically to frame a withdrawal as a declared victory, but cautioned this advantage would disappear if American forces suffered further casualties. He urged an immediate exit to "break the escalation trap" rather than risk deeper US military involvement. Fox News Digital said it had contacted the White House for comment on Monday but had not yet received a response.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.