The Pentagon on Aug. 7 revoked former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s eligibility for access to classified information after he allegedly disclosed sensitive information to a news outlet.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the revocation took effect immediately and that Kendall is also barred from holding “any sensitive position.”
Parnell said the action followed Kendall’s “unauthorized disclosure” of classified information about Air Force One’s capabilities to a news outlet. He did not specify which outlet Kendall shared the information with.
Responding to the Pentagon’s action, Kendall said he was “completely mystified” by it and denied making any such disclosure.
“I’ve always been extremely careful to not say anything classified, and as far as I know I have not,” he said. “No one has said anything to me about what I’m asserted to have revealed and I can’t imagine what it could be.”
Kendall was Air Force secretary from July 2021 to January 2025 under the Biden administration. He is a trained attorney and previously held numerous government positions related to defense acquisition and national security affairs.
The Pentagon provided no further details about Kendall’s alleged disclosure of sensitive information to the media.
