Pentagon accuses ex-Air Force chief of leaking state secrets

“This action follows his unauthorized disclosure of classified information regarding Air Force One’s capabilities to a media outlet,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement on X on Friday.

“Safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty. Those who violate that trust forfeit the privilege of access and any role requiring it,” he added.

The decision came after multiple news outlets reported that the modified luxury Boeing 747-8 donated to Trump by the Qatari government last year did not have the same security and defense capabilities as the older Air Force One.

MS NOW and The New York Times reported that Trump swapped the Qatari-gifted plane for the original Air Force One last month to fly from a NATO summit in Türkiye to the UK amid fears of an Iranian plot against his life.

Last month, the Department of Justice issued subpoenas to Times reporters after the newspaper published a story detailing security concerns over the plane. The DOJ later dropped 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 jet would require three to four years of modifications to meet the standards of the older presidential aircraft in terms of life support, communications, and security.

Trump has repeatedly accused the media of spreading “fake” stories about him and his presidency and has sought to crack down on leaks. Most recently, he vowed to hunt down and jail “leakers” following reports that the US had largely depleted its missile stockpile during the war with Iran. He denied the claim, describing the country’s ammunition stockpile as “unlimited.”