The Pentagon stripped former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall of his security clearance Friday, accusing him of handing a reporter classified details about Air Force One.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced the decision on X, saying the Department of War had canceled Kendall's eligibility to view classified material and his ability to fill any sensitive role. Parnell tied the move to what he called an unauthorized disclosure about the aircraft's capabilities. "Safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty," he wrote. Parnell never identified which news organization received the information, and he offered no word on whether Kendall would face prosecution, according to the Associated Press (AP). (RELATED: Former Pentagon Aide Hired To Intelligence Role After Leak Probe)
Effective immediately, the Department of War has REVOKED former Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall’s eligibility for access to classified information and his ability to hold any sensitive position.
— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) August 7, 2026
This action follows his unauthorized disclosure of classified information…
Kendall rejected the accusation outright. He told AP he was "completely mystified" by the revocation. "I've always been extremely careful to not say anything classified, and as far as I know I have not," he said. "No one has said anything to me about what I'm asserted to have revealed and I can't imagine what it could be." Kendall told CNN he has openly criticized the Trump administration since leaving his post in January 2025 and stood by his willingness to speak with the press. "I've been comfortable being on the record with reporters and on national television about the Qatari 747 because I'm confident that I haven't said anything classified," he told AP.
The clearance decision follows scrutiny of the $400 million jet Qatar gave President Donald Trump, which the New York Times reported lacked the antimissile protections of the plane it replaced, according to AP. Trump flew the retrofitted jet to last month's NATO summit in Turkey but returned aboard an older Air Force One. The Air Force has conceded it deliberately left out several complex engineering upgrades when converting the donated aircraft, the AP reported.
The Justice Department subpoenaed Times reporters over the coverage, then dropped the demands last month after a judge faulted the department's handling of the case, according to AP. Kendall had told CNN the Qatari jet would have needed three to four years of work to match the security standards of the older 747s.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously pulled the clearance of retired Gen. Mark Milley, the former Joint Chiefs chairman, shortly after the administration took office, according to AP. Kendall, a lawyer and engineer who led the Air Force from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden, now serves as a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, according to The Hill.
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