Frank Kendall, who served all four years as former President Joe Biden's Air Force secretary, said Monday he plans to sue the Trump administration after his security clearance was abruptly yanked Friday by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
When making the announcement that Kendall had been stripped of his clearance, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell revealed an "unauthorized disclosure of classified information regarding Air Force One’s capabilities to a media outlet" had been made by Kendall.
Kendall subsequently told the Wall Street Journal that he was "mystified" over having his security credentials taken away. He expanded on this thought during a Monday night interview on CNN, telling host Erin Burnett he's "gonna sue" to get his clearance back.
Speaking on CNN Monday evening, Kendall said he only became aware of the administration’s decision after Parnell posted about it to social media.
“I was initially mystified, because I couldn’t think of anything I’d ever said that was classified, and I had tried very hard not to say anything classified and was quite sure I had not,” Kendall told Erin Burnett on “OutFront.”
Kendall’s security clearance was pulled after he spoke to The New York Times last month on safety concerns with the new Air Force One converted from a gifted Qatari luxury jet. Kendall warned the retrofitted plane had “a lot of shortfalls” compared with the older aircraft used as Air Force One and posed “a measure of risk.”
As RedState previously reported, Kendall may be one of what could turn out to be many leakers feeding information to media outlets about Air Force One, thus putting President Trump at risk.
SEE ALSO: (Updated) Hegseth Strips Security Clearance From Biden Air Force Secretary Over AF1 Leaks
Trump's Air Force One 'Decoy' Fooled the Press. Good. That Was the Point.
And the Department of War was having none of it when Kendall was concerned.
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…
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.
This action follows his unauthorized disclosure of classified information regarding Air Force One’s capabilities to a media outlet.
Safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty. Those who violate that trust forfeit the privilege of access and any role requiring it.
Kendall was apparently allowed to retain eligibility to handle classified information after leaving the Biden administration because former officials can keep clearances for subsequent national-security/defense work. Hegseth has now pulled that eligibility altogether.
During his CNN interview, Kendall denied knowing anything about the Qatari-donated jet that now serves at Air Force One, saying, “I don’t know anything about that airplane. I have made the observation that an airplane that you’ve spent one year on and $400 million will not be as capable as an airplane you spend five years on and $2 billion. That’s inherently obvious.”
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