Joe Kent, the now-former U.S. Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, has maintained his late wife Shannon Kent‘s legacy. The self-proclaimed “Gold Star husband” has made it a focus in his life to speak out against war, despite his typical right-wing political views. His disagreement on the Iran war eventually made headlines when he resigned from his post in Donald Trump‘s administration in March 2026, citing Shannon’s death as one of the reasons behind his resignation.
Here, learn about Joe’s late wife and their marriage.
After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today.
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… pic.twitter.com/prtu86DpEr
— Joe Kent (@joekent16jan19) March 17, 2026
What Did Shannon Kent Do for Work?
Shannon was a U.S. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer and a highly decorated cryptologic technician.
When Did Joe Kent & Shannon Kent First Meet?
Joe and Shannon reportedly met in 2013 at the selection course for the Intelligence Support Activity. One year later, they were married.
Did Joe Kent & Shannon Kent Have Children?
Yes, Shannon is survived by her two sons, whom she shared with Joe. Their two boys were just 3 years old and 18 months old when their late mother died.
How Did Shannon Kent Die? What Happened to Joe Kent’s Wife
Unfortunately, Shannon died in the January 2019 Manbij bombing. She was 35 years old. At the time, Shannon was part of a group that was meeting with local military officials, and they had stopped by a local restaurant in Manbij, Syria, when a man in a suicide vest detonated the device outside, killing her and three other Americans who were part of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve.
Shannon’s death reshaped her husband Joe’s outlook on military plans, he has stated over the years. During a previous conversation with ConcernedVets, Joe said that his late wife’s death didn’t “necessarily” change his mind, but it “solidified some things.”
“Why are there young men, young women in Afghanistan right now, in Syria right now, in Iraq right now? What are they doing?” he asked at the time.
Joe also mentioned his late wife in his 2026 resignation from Trump’s administration.
“As a veteran who deployed to combat 11 times and as a Gold Star husband who lost my beloved wife, Shannon, in a war manufactured by Israel, I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives,” Joe wrote in a March 2026 letter to the president.
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