Overview
- The Pentagon announced Friday that it had revoked former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s eligibility to access classified information and barred him from holding any sensitive position, saying the move follows an unauthorized disclosure to a media outlet.
- Kendall said he is “completely mystified” and denied knowingly revealing classified material, telling reporters he has been careful not to speak about classified matters.
- The dispute grew from July reporting that a Qatari‑donated Boeing 747 converted for presidential use lacked some advanced defensive and communications modifications, and the Air Force has acknowledged the retrofit omitted several complex engineering changes.
- The Justice Department subpoenaed New York Times reporters over the Air Force One reporting and then withdrew those subpoenas after a judge criticized the government’s legal work, a sequence that raised concerns about pressure on the press.
- The Pentagon has not identified the specific material allegedly disclosed or the recipient outlet and has not said whether it will refer the case for prosecution, making this an administrative sanction that could still prompt further legal or investigative steps.