Pentagon revokes security clearance of Biden's former Air Force secretary

On August 7, 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revoked the security clearance of former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, alleging he leaked classified details about security gaps in a Qatari-gifted Air Force One. Kendall had questioned the plane's defensive capabilities in media reports. The move follows a withdrawn Justice Department effort to subpoena journalists and fits a broader pattern of Trump administration clearance revocations, including that of retired General Mark Milley.

Kendall security clearance revocation

• ▪The Pentagon barred former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall from holding any sensitive position, alleging he disclosed sensitive information about Air Force One's capabilities to the media.
• ▪Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revoked the security clearance and eligibility to access classified information of former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall on August 7, 2026.
• ▪Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated on August 7, 2026, that safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty and those who violate that trust forfeit access privileges.
• ▪Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the Pentagon's announcement on August 7, 2026.

Air Force One security gaps

• ▪The Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet underwent a $400 million retrofit and upgrade before being put into domestic and international service.
• ▪Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall was quoted in media reports stating that a Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet lacked the advanced defensive and antimissile capabilities of traditional presidential aircraft.
• ▪President Donald Trump switched to an older Air Force One model to leave a NATO summit in July 2026 due to Secret Service security concerns amid U.S. airstrikes on Iran.
• ▪President Donald Trump denied that his aircraft switch at the NATO summit was due to security concerns, while noting he is constantly under threat as Iran's top target.

Trump administration clearance revocations

• ▪Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revoked the security protections and clearance of retired Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley shortly after the Trump administration took office.
• ▪The Trump administration revoked the security clearances of 37 current and former national security officials in 2025.

Justice Department subpoena withdrawal

• ▪The U.S. Justice Department withdrew its subpoenas of New York Times reporters in July 2026 following criticism from a federal judge regarding sloppy legal work.
• ▪The U.S. Justice Department subpoenaed New York Times reporters to compel them to identify their sources for the Air Force One security reporting, raising press freedom concerns.

Classified leak prosecution precedents

• ▪A federal judge sentenced a Massachusetts Air National Guard member to 15 years in prison in 2024 for leaking classified military documents about the war in Ukraine.
• ▪The Obama administration filed Espionage Act charges against former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden after he publicly disclosed a massive trove of secret U.S. surveillance documents.

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