Pentagon strips Frank Kendall clearance over Air Force One leak claim

Washington,UPDATED: Aug 8, 2026 07:08 IST

The Pentagon on Friday revoked former US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s eligibility to access classified information and barred him from holding any sensitive position, alleging that he disclosed sensitive information about Air Force One’s capabilities to the media. The move followed reports last month, including in The New York Times, on security concerns over the new Air Force One gifted by Qatar.

The aircraft, which underwent a USD 400 million retrofit and upgrade, has been used for domestic travel and was also flown by President Donald Trump to Turkiye last month. But Trump used an older Air Force One aircraft to leave the NATO summit as the US launched airstrikes on Iran and Tehran attacked three Gulf Arab states.

The Times reported that the change was made at the urging of the Secret Service and that the newer aircraft lacked some of the advanced security features of the older Air Force One. Trump denied to reporters that the switch was due to security concerns, though he also said he is under threat “all the time” and is Iran’s “No. 1” target.

In the Times report, Kendall, who served under President Joe Biden, was quoted as saying that the time available for upgrades to the aircraft would not have been enough for “all the normal Air Force One modifications” and that he was surprised it was used outside the US.

After the reporting, the Justice Department subpoenaed the Times reporters in an effort to make them reveal their sources, raising concerns over press freedom. The department later withdrew the subpoenas last month after criticism from the judge over sloppy legal work.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell did not say 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.” Kendall did not immediately respond to a call and text seeking comment.

This is not the first time the Trump administration has revoked security clearances. Last year, it revoked the clearances of 37 current and former national security officials. Soon after the administration took office, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also withdrew security protections and clearance for retired Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Mark Milley.

Parnell did not say whether Kendall was being referred for prosecution, and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to questions on the matter. Such accusations are typically accompanied by referrals for prosecution under the Espionage Act. In one well-known case, the Obama administration filed charges against Edward Snowden after he disclosed a large cache of secret documents on US surveillance operations before fleeing to Russia. More recently, a federal judge sentenced a Massachusetts Air Guard member to 15 years in prison in 2024 for leaking classified military documents about the war in Ukraine, in what was described as the most consequential national security breach in years.

In sum, the Pentagon’s action against Kendall came after reporting on security concerns around the new Air Force One, with questions also arising over the aircraft’s capabilities, the administration’s response to the media reports, and whether the case could lead to prosecution.

With PTI Inputs

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