Department of War Revokes Frank Kendall's Security Clearance

The Department of War revoked the security clearance of former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall on August 7, 2026. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced that Kendall made an unauthorized disclosure of classified information regarding the capabilities of Air Force One to a media outlet.

The leak concerned security deficiencies of a new presidential jet gifted by Qatar. Kendall had previously told CNN that the aircraft would require three to four years of modifications to meet the standards of older Boeing 747 models. The revocation now bars Kendall from accessing classified information and holding sensitive private-sector positions related to Pentagon programs.

This action followed a leak investigation ordered by President Donald Trump. The probe included requests for White House officials to surrender their phones and the issuance of subpoenas to New York Times reporters by the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice later withdrew those subpoenas following judicial criticism.