The Department of War revoked former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s access to classified information over his comments about the security capabilities of 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,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell posted on X.
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Kendall served as the Air Force secretary under the Biden administration and retained his security clearance after departing. The statement didn’t specify what comments prompted the revocation, but Kendall had spoken to several outlets questioning the new Qatari-gifted jet’s capabilities.
“This action follows his unauthorized disclosure of classified information regarding Air Force One’s capabilities to a media outlet. Safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty. Those who violate that trust forfeit the privilege of access and any role requiring it,” Parnell added.
The statement follows a Wall Street Journal report in which Kendall was one of the former officials quoted. In a CNN piece published on July 10, Kendall said structural changes were needed to include antennas for communications, something he wasn’t sure the new plane had. He also estimated that the new jet would need three to four years of modifications to meet the same standards as the previous jet.
In an interview with NPR later that month, he questioned whether any significant modifications were made in the one-month refit period.
“A month is not enough time to do anything significant. Software could be done. Software changes can be made relatively easily anyplace. Hardware modifications? I’m having a hard time imagining any that could be done in a month that are of any serious significance,” Kendall said.
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The White House has repeatedly pushed back on Kendall’s commentary regarding the jet. White House communications director Steven Cheung said the new Air Force One is secure in response to some of Kendall’s assessments of the plane in July.
“The new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff,” Cheung said. “As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats.”
