Qatar: Safeguarding Classified Information Is a Non-negotiable

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced on X that former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall's security clearance has been revoked over allegations he leaked sensitive information about Air Force One. "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, Parnell wrote in the Friday post. According to Parnell, Kendall allegedly shared details about the presidential aircraft's capabilities with a news outlet.

"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. The revocation comes as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth steps up efforts to target Pentagon leakers.

In July, Hegseth released a video promising a crackdown on unauthorized disclosures, while President Donald Trump publicly characterized leakers as treasonous and unpatriotic. However, critics pointed out Hegseth's own record regarding sensitive national security data, including his involvement in the 2025 SignalGate incident, when he used the messaging app Signal on his personal phone to transmit non-public plans about U.S. airstrikes in Yemen. A Pentagon inspector general review concluded that using the unapproved app violated department policy and created operational risks.

Kendall, now a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, served as Air Force Secretary under former President Joe Biden from 2021 to 2025. The leak accusations stem from coverage of a new Air Force One aircraft hat people needed to be aware of the donated jet's shortfalls relative to Air Force One, noting those limitations added a measure of risk. Prior to Kendall's clearance being pulled, the Trump administration attempted to subpoena phone records from four New York Times journalists and their relatives over their reporting on the aircraft's security issues. The Justice Department later withdrew the subpoenas after U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian questioned government attorneys on whether they had adhered to legal standards governing press subpoenas.