The Pentagon has revoked the security clearance of former US Air Force chief Frank Kendall, whom it accused of leaking classified information regarding Donald Trump's presidential jet, donated by Qatar.
"This action follows the unauthorized disclosure of classified information regarding Air Force One's capabilities to a media outlet," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement to X on Friday.
"Safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty. Those who violate this trust lose the privilege of access and any role that requires it," he added.
The decision came after multiple media outlets reported that the modified Boeing 747-8 luxury jet, gifted to Trump by the Qatari government last year, did not have the same security and protection capabilities as the old Air Force One.
MS NOW and The New York Times reported that Trump swapped the gift plane from Qatar for the original Air Force One last month to fly from a NATO summit in Turkey to the United Kingdom, amid fears of an Iranian plot against his life.
Last month, the Justice Department issued subpoenas for Times reporters after the newspaper published an article detailing safety concerns about the plane. The Justice Department later lifted the subpoenas after a judge said the investigation violated protections afforded to journalists.
Kendall, who served under Joe Biden between 2021 and 2025, told CNN last month that he believes the new plane would require three to four years of modifications to meet the standards of the old presidential plane in terms of life support, communications and safety.
Trump has repeatedly accused the media of spreading “fake” stories about him and his presidency and has tried to stop leaks. Most recently, he vowed to pursue and jail “leakers” after reports that the US had largely depleted its stockpile of missiles during the war with Iran. He denied the claim, describing the country’s ammunition stockpile as “unlimited.”
