Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall plans to sue the Trump administration after his security clearance was revoked this week over allegations he disclosed classified information to media outlets.
Kendall served as Air Force Secretary under President Joe Biden until Secretary
of Defense Pete Hegseth stripped him of his clearance earlier this week. The Pentagon said the revocation stemmed from allegations that Kendall leaked classified details about the defensive capabilities of a Boeing 747 aircraft that the administration plans to use as Air Force One.
What Sparked the Clearance Revocation Kendall was quoted last month by The New York Times discussing the aircraft’s lack of defensive systems compared to jets typically used for presidential transport. “Effective immediately, the Department of Defense has revoked former Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall’s eligibility for access to classified information,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell wrote on X.
Parnell stated that safeguarding classified material is a fundamental responsibility for anyone with access to sensitive national security information. The Pentagon emphasized that violations of this trust result in forfeiture of clearance access and related positions.
Kendall’s Legal Challenge Kendall has denied disclosing classified information and told CNN on Monday he plans to challenge the revocation. “As my mother taught me years ago, you stand up to bullies,” Kendall said.
Mark Zaid, a national security attorney who specializes in clearance disputes, confirmed
he was retained by Kendall. Zaid himself faced clearance revocation in a March 2025 executive order from Trump that cited the revocations were “no longer in the national interest.”
Broader Pattern of Clearance Revocations Trump’s administration has revoked clearances from multiple former officials since taking office. In August 2025, the administration revoked clearances for 37 current and former national security officials, including individuals involved in assessments related to Russian interference in the 2016 election.
The Justice Department also subpoenaed New York Times reporters who published stories about security concerns surrounding the Boeing 747. Those subpoenas were later withdrawn after a federal judge criticized the government’s legal process.
Kendall previously served as undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics during the Obama administration. He told The Wall Street Journal in July that fully modifying the aircraft with necessary defensive capabilities would take three to four years.
