WASHINGTON – In a significant move, the Pentagon has withdrawn former U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s clearance to access classified material, effectively prohibiting him from assuming any sensitive roles. This decision, announced on Friday, arises from allegations that Kendall revealed details regarding the operational capabilities of Air Force One to the press.
This development follows last month’s reporting from prominent media outlets, including The New York Times, highlighting security vulnerabilities associated with the new Air Force One, a gift from Qatar. Reports indicate that the aircraft does not possess the sophisticated antimissile defenses of its older counterpart.
In reaction to the revocation, Kendall expressed his bewilderment during a Friday night interview with The Associated Press. He remarked, “I am utterly perplexed by this action.”
Kendall emphasized his commitment to safeguarding classified information, stating, “I have always exercised extreme caution to avoid divulging any classified content. To my knowledge, I have not breached any protocols. No specifics of the alleged leak have been shared with me, and I am baffled as to what information it might pertain to.”
The aircraft in question recently underwent an extensive $400 million retrofit and is currently being utilized for domestic flights. Notably, President Donald Trump used this aircraft for his journey to Turkey last month. However, amidst escalating tensions and airstrikes involving Iran, he opted to return from the NATO summit aboard an older Air Force One model.
The Times reported that the president made the switch at the urging of the Secret Service and that the newer plane lacked some of the advanced security features of the older Air Force One aircraft. Trump denied to reporters that the swap was due to security concerns, although he also said he is under threat “all the time” and is Iran’s “No. 1” target.
In the Times article, Kendall, who served under President Joe Biden, is quoted as saying that the time for upgrades to the plane would not have been enough for “all the normal Air Force One modifications” and he was surprised that the plane was used outside the U.S.
Kendall said Friday, “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.”
In response to the reporting, the Justice Department subpoenaed the Times’ reporters to try to compel them to out their sources, which stirred fears over press freedoms. The department, after criticism from the judge for sloppy legal work, grudgingly withdrew the subpoenas last month.
The Air Force has argued that the rapid conversion of the jet was done “without accepting any risk regarding security, safety, or secure communications,” but it also has acknowledged the different capabilities. It said “several highly complex engineering modifications” required for the new U.S.-made Air Force One aircraft were intentionally excluded in the modifications to the plane from Qatar. The Air Force acknowledged it did not widen the doors leading out of the aircraft or include multiple stairs built into the hull of the plane.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell didn’t specify in a post on X which media outlet Kendall was accused of sharing classified information with.
“Safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty,” he wrote. “Those who violate that trust forfeit the privilege of access and any role requiring it.”
It’s not the first time the Trump administration has revoked security clearances, including of 37 then-current and former national security officials last year. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also pulled security protections and clearance for Gen. Mark Milley, retired Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, soon after the administration took office.
Parnell didn’t say if Kendall was being referred for prosecution, and the Pentagon declined to provide more information. Typically, such accusations are partnered with referrals for prosecution over violations of the Espionage Act.
A well-known example was when the Obama administration filed charges against Edward Snowden, a former intelligence agency contractor who publicly disclosed a massive trove of secret documents about U.S. surveillance operations before fleeing to Russia.
More recently, a federal judge sentenced a Massachusetts Air National Guard member to 15 years in prison in 2024 for leaking classified military documents about the war in Ukraine. That was the most consequential national security breach in years.
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