Why Ex-US Counterterrorism Chief Mentioned Late Wife In Resignation Letter

Joe Kent, the former director of the US National Counterterrorism Centre, resigned from his post, saying he could no longer support President Donald Trump administration's war on Iran, adding Tehran “posed no imminent threat to our nation.”

In his resignation letter, he added that the war was started “due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”

Kent also mentioned his “beloved wife,” Shannon Kent. She was a Navy linguist and intelligence officer who died in a suicide bombing in Syria in January 2019, according to The New York Times. She was 35 years old at the time of her death.

Who Is Shannon Kent?

Shannon, originally from New York, joined the Navy after the September 11, 2001 attacks. She already had exceptional linguistic skills and later learned Iraqi-dialect Arabic at a Navy training center in Monterey, California. She was soon assigned to work alongside a SEAL task force and later attempted selection for a special reconnaissance team.

The First Encounter

Joe shared the story of their first meeting during a podcast last year. He said that he met Shannon for “10 minutes” in Baghdad in 2007. “The war moved fast, and she moved on to a different location. And I didn't see her again for several years,” he said.  

Years later, the two crossed paths again during a year-long training course for a classified intelligence unit. That period marked the start their bond. “From that moment on, we were pretty much inseparable. I think we fell in love pretty quick,” he had said.

Shanon was trained in human intelligence work, which meant she could identify, recruit and manage sources to gather information for US operations. Kent noted that her knowledge of Iraqi Arabic was especially valuable because it allowed her to speak with local women and gather insights.

Following the course, Joe and Shannon got married and began a family. The couple eventually settled near Annapolis to raise their children.

How Shannon Kent Died

Despite family responsibilities, Shannon continued on crucial missions. In late 2018, she travelled to Syria for her final assignment while still actively contributing to NSA operations.

On January 16, 2019, Shannon was killed in a suicide bombing in Manbij, Syria, during a meeting with a local source. Three other Americans also died in the attack. Shannon was posthumously promoted to senior chief.

A year after Shannon's death, Joe married artist Heather Kaiser in August 2023.