President Trump and his Cabinet pledged from the moment they were sworn in to renew his efforts from his first term to root out ‘deep state’ actors that would undermine his policies.
One of the most recent casualties is now-former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, who served in that role under then-President Joe Biden.
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Earlier this week, Secretary of War Pete Hegset stripped Kendall of his security clearance over allegations he leaked classified information to a media outlet.
Kendall was quoted last month by The New York Times saying the new Air Force One the administration obtained from Qatar lacked the defensive capabilities of jets that presidents typically fly on.
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“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, a Pentagon spokesman, wrote on X.
Parnell emphasized that the Pentagon considers protecting classified material a fundamental responsibility for anyone entrusted with access to sensitive national security information.
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“Safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty,” Parnell said.
“Those who violate that trust forfeit the privilege of access and any role requiring it,” he added.
Now, Kendall says he plans to sue the administration over the loss of his clearance.
“As my mother taught me years ago, you stand up to bullies,” Kendall, who has denied disclosing classified information, told CNN on Monday.
Mark Zaid, a prominent national security attorney who previously sued the Trump administration after his own security clearance was revoked, confirmed on X that he had been retained by Kendall. “More to come,” Zaid wrote.
Zaid specializes in representing military and civilian clients facing security clearance reviews and investigations.
Last year, he became one of the individuals targeted by the Trump administration’s broader effort to revoke clearances from people it viewed as political adversaries.
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In a March 2025 executive order, Trump identified Zaid among several individuals whose security clearances were to be revoked, citing that retaining their access was “no longer in the national interest.”
The order also named former President Joe Biden, members of Biden’s family, former Biden Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
In August 2025, Trump revoked the security clearances of 37 additional current and former national security officials, including several individuals involved in issues that have drawn the president’s criticism, such as the intelligence community assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election in an effort to benefit his campaign.
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The administration has also pushed back against reports raising security concerns about the Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar to Trump, which he plans to use as Air Force One for the remainder of his term.
Last month, the Justice Department subpoenaed New York Times reporters who published stories examining security concerns surrounding the aircraft, including questions about its lack of some advanced defensive systems found on the current presidential aircraft.
The subpoenas were later withdrawn after a federal judge criticized the government’s handling of the matter and raised concerns about the legal process used to obtain the reporters’ information.
As for Kendall, Pentagon officials are providing few details about precisely what was disclosed or where it appeared, but the department says the matter involved capabilities connected to one of the most recognizable and security-sensitive aircraft in the world.
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Earlier in July, Kendall told The Wall Street Journal that fully modifying a Boeing 747 with the defensive capabilities necessary to protect the president should take approximately three to four years.
Before joining the Biden administration, Kendall held several senior defense positions and served as undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics during the Obama administration.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
