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Pentagon Revokes Frank Kendall’s Clearance Over Air Force One Leak

8/12/2026

39 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Kendall Clearance Revoked

Pentagon revoked Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s clearance on Friday after Sean Parnell said Kendall disclosed Air Force One capabilities, a claim that mystified officials.
Kendall told The New York Times that Secret Service warned President Donald Trump not to use jet at NATO summit, prompting president to switch to an Air Force One.
He will sue, having hired attorney Mark Zaid, because he claims clearance removal lacked due process.

Summary

Kendall Clearance Stripped

The Pentagon revoked former Air Force secretary Frank Kendall’s security clearance, breaking the usual practice of allowing former secretaries to keep consulting access.
Kendall said the Qatari-donated jet will need three to four years of modifications to meet Air Force One security and communications standards.
The two Boeing VC-25B presidential aircraft are now slated for 2028 delivery because of scheduling delays and cost overruns.

History

Historical Context

In 1994 CIA officer Aldrich Ames was convicted of spying for the Soviet Union, prompting the discovery of 144 classified documents and a congressional backlash that spurred tighter clearance oversight. When Director George Tenet publicly stripped Ames of his clearance in 1998, the agency signaled a new punitive stance, a precedent echoed this week as the Pentagon revoked Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s clearance.

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Kendall Clearance Revoked

Pentagon revoked Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s clearance on Friday after Sean Parnell said Kendall disclosed Air Force One capabilities, a claim that mystified officials.
Kendall told The New York Times that Secret Service warned President Donald Trump not to use jet at NATO summit, prompting president to switch to an Air Force One.
He will sue, having hired attorney Mark Zaid, because he claims clearance removal lacked due process.

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