The Department of Defense has revoked former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s eligibility to access classified information, citing an unauthorized disclosure of sensitive details about Air Force One’s capabilities.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced the action Friday on X, saying it took effect immediately and also bars Kendall from holding any government position that requires such eligibility. “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. “This action follows his unauthorized disclosure of classified information regarding Air Force One’s capabilities to a media outlet.”
Parnell underscored the seriousness of the matter, stating that safeguarding classified information is a “non-negotiable duty” and that those who violate that trust forfeit both access and any role requiring it.
Officials provided no further details on the precise information allegedly disclosed or the media organization involved. The announcement comes days after The Wall Street Journal published a report examining differences between the Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8 now serving as a presidential aircraft and the older VC-25A jets traditionally used as Air Force One.
Kendall was among the former officials quoted in the Journal story. The report noted that the newer aircraft lacks certain capabilities found on the older planes, including midair refueling and some protections designed to withstand the effects of a nuclear blast. It also discussed variations in defensive systems, onboard air stairs, baggage handling and food storage. The Pentagon has not confirmed whether any specific details in that article prompted the action against Kendall.
Earlier in July, Kendall told the Journal that fully modifying a Boeing 747 with the defensive systems needed to protect the president would take roughly three to four years.
Kendall served as Air Force secretary from 2021 until January 2025 under the Biden administration. Before that, he held senior Pentagon roles, including undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics during the Obama years. His connection to the presidential aircraft program dates back more than a decade. In 2015, while serving as the Pentagon’s acquisition chief, he worked with then-Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James on the decision to select Boeing’s 747-8 platform for the next generation of Air Force One aircraft.
Air Force One is far more than a transport plane. Its specialized communications, defensive systems and survivability features are designed to enable the president to continue exercising constitutional duties during emergencies or national security crises. Information about those systems is tightly controlled because of the potential for adversaries to exploit any revealed vulnerabilities.
The Pentagon has not indicated whether the matter has been referred to the Justice Department for possible criminal investigation. Kendall has lost his clearance and eligibility for sensitive positions, but key questions remain about the exact nature of the alleged disclosure and whether further steps will follow.
