The War Department has taken immediate action against a former senior Biden administration Pentagon official following what it describes as a serious breach involving sensitive military information.
Officials are providing few details about precisely what was disclosed or where it appeared, but the department says the matter involved capabilities connected to one of the most recognizable and security-sensitive aircraft in the world.
The Department of War announced Friday that it revoked former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s eligibility to access classified information over what officials described as an unauthorized disclosure concerning Air Force One’s capabilities.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced the decision on X, saying the action took effect immediately and also prevents Kendall from holding any sensitive government position requiring 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,” he continued.
Parnell emphasized that the Pentagon considers protecting classified material a fundamental responsibility for anyone entrusted with access to sensitive national security information.
“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,” he added.
The Pentagon did not identify the media organization to which Kendall allegedly disclosed the classified information, nor did Parnell specify exactly what information the former secretary is accused of revealing.
The action comes days after The Wall Street Journal published a report examining differences between the Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8 now being used as a presidential aircraft and the older VC-25A aircraft traditionally used as Air Force One.
Kendall was among the former government officials quoted in the Journal’s report.
According to the newspaper, the newer aircraft lacks some capabilities available aboard the older presidential jets, including midair refueling and certain protections designed to withstand the effects of a nuclear blast.
The report also discussed differences involving defensive systems, onboard air stairs, baggage handling and food storage.
The Pentagon has not publicly stated whether any specific information contained in that report prompted its decision against Kendall.
Kendall had also discussed the presidential aircraft program in other recent media reports.
Earlier in July, Kendall told The Wall Street Journal that fully modifying a Boeing 747 with the defensive capabilities necessary to protect the president should take approximately three to four years.
Kendall served as secretary of the Air Force throughout much of former President Joe Biden’s administration, holding the position from 2021 until January 2025.
Before joining the Biden administration, Kendall held several senior defense positions and served as undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics during the Obama administration.
His involvement with the modernization of the presidential aircraft fleet also stretches back more than a decade.
In 2015, while serving as the Pentagon’s acquisition chief, Kendall worked with then-Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James on the decision to select Boeing’s 747-8 platform for the next generation of presidential aircraft.
That history gave Kendall extensive familiarity with the Air Force One replacement program and the military requirements associated with presidential aviation.
Air Force One is not simply a presidential transport aircraft, as its specialized communications, defensive and survivability capabilities are designed to allow the president to continue carrying out constitutional responsibilities during emergencies and potential national security crises.
Details surrounding some of those systems and capabilities are therefore closely protected, particularly information that could potentially reveal vulnerabilities to foreign adversaries.
The Pentagon’s announcement did not indicate whether Kendall faces a criminal investigation or whether the department has referred the alleged disclosure to the Justice Department, Fox News reported.
Kendall has lost his eligibility to access classified information and hold sensitive positions, while unanswered questions remain about precisely what the Pentagon believes he disclosed and whether additional action will follow.