Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall Says He Will Sue to Get His Clearance Back — 'You Stand Up to Bullies'

Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said on Aug. 10, 2026 that he will sue to force the administration to restore the security clearance it revoked on Aug. 7 after claiming he disclosed sensitive information about the Qatari-gifted jet now serving as Air Force One. Speaking on CNN, Kendall, who led the Air Force under Biden and denies disclosing classified information, said the administration has a history of stripping critics' clearances: "As my mother taught me years ago, you stand up to bullies." Attorney Mark Zaid, whose own clearance Trump revoked in 2025, confirmed he had been retained.

Revocation carries no automatic hearing and is generally treated as committed to executive discretion, which is why it is hard to contest and why a suit would test that discretion where retaliation is alleged. Kendall would join officials stripped of clearances after criticizing the president.

No complaint had been filed as of the AP report. The Justice Department separately subpoenaed Times reporters over the jet last month, then withdrew the subpoenas.