Ex-Air Force Secretary to Sue Over Revoked Security Clearance

Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall announced on Monday that he will file a lawsuit against the Trump administration to have his security clearance reinstated. The clearance was revoked on Friday, with the administration alleging that Kendall disclosed sensitive information about the Qatari-gifted jet currently serving as Air Force One.

Kendall, a West Point graduate who led the Air Force under President Joe Biden, has denied any wrongdoing. Speaking on CNN, he framed the legal action as a stand against intimidation, recalling his mother's advice to "stand up to bullies." He pointed to a broader pattern of the administration stripping clearances from its critics.

The former secretary has enlisted Mark Zaid, a national security attorney who himself faced clearance revocation under the current administration. Zaid confirmed the engagement on X, writing "More to come." He has a history of representing military and civilian clients in clearance disputes.

Zaid was among 15 individuals named in a March 2025 executive order that deemed their clearances no longer in the national interest. That list included former President Joe Biden, his family members, and other officials. In August 2025, the administration revoked clearances for 37 additional current and former national security officials, many of whom were involved in matters that have drawn the president's ire, such as the intelligence assessment on Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The dispute also touches on the president's efforts to suppress reporting on the Qatari jet's security shortcomings. The Justice Department recently issued subpoenas to New York Times reporters covering the aircraft's lack of advanced anti-missile systems, but withdrew them after a federal judge criticized the legal process.