A top security official in US President Donald Trump's administration resigned over the war in Iran Tuesday, saying the country had posed no imminent threat to the United States. Joe Kent (pictured), who headed the National Counterterrorism Center, is the first senior official in Trump's administration to resign over the conflict, now in its third week. "I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful lobby," Kent wrote in a letter posted to social media. Some experts have said an imminent threat would be required for the United States to launch a war under the international law of war. US President Donald Trump was typically unimpressed, saying Kent was "very weak on security" and it's a "good thing" that he stepped down. "I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security," the president told reporters in the Oval Office. **media[426753]**He said that when he saw Kent's resignation statement "I realised that it's a good thing that he's out." Kent did not respond to requests for comment and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which oversees the counterterrorism center, also did not immediately respond. Kent has long been known for his "America First" beliefs and has said he opposes US military interventions abroad. Still, the announcement came as a surprise, one US official said. Kent is close with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who has kept a low profile since the Iran war began. Gabbard has not issued any public statements since the war started with Iran and has only appeared in public during the dignified transfer of American soldiers killed during the conflict. The National Intelligence Council, which is overseen by Gabbard's office, issued several assessments both before and after the US strikes began that highlighted the risks of US intervention. Those reports indicated the Iranian government was unlikely to collapse and Iran would likely retaliate against US outposts in the region and Gulf allies, as Reuters previously reported.