Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall declared on Monday that he intends to pursue legal action against the Trump administration to reinstate his security clearance. The administration revoked his clearance on Friday, citing claims that he had disclosed classified information related to a jet gifted by Qatar that is now serving as Air Force One. Kendall, who previously served as the head of the Air Force under President Joe Biden, denied the allegations on CNN and suggested the action represented retaliation against a critic of the administration.
Kendall has retained Mark Zaid, a national security attorney with extensive experience in clearance defense matters. Zaid confirmed his engagement in the case via social media and indicated additional developments would follow. Zaid himself has been targeted by the administration’s clearance revocation efforts after his own clearance was stripped.
The case fits within a broader pattern of clearance revocations under the current administration. In March 2025, Trump signed an executive order naming former President Joe Biden, members of his family, former Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, and New York Attorney General Letitia James as unsuitable to retain clearances in the national interest. In August 2025, the administration revoked clearances for 37 additional current and former national security officials, including some involved in matters the administration has opposed, such as the intelligence community’s assessment regarding Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
The dispute also intersects with ongoing controversies surrounding the Qatar-gifted aircraft. The administration has sought to limit reporting on the jet, with the Justice Department subpoenaing New York Times reporters who covered security concerns about the aircraft, including its lack of advanced anti-missile defenses compared to its predecessor. A federal judge criticized the government’s legal filings in connection with those subpoenas, and the government subsequently withdrew them.
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