Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall plans to sue the Trump administration in an effort to regain his security clearance.

He will join a broader legal challenge involving other individuals whose access has been revoked since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025.

Kendall led the Air Force from 2021 until 2025 under former President Joe Biden.

He announced the planned lawsuit during a CNN appearance after the Pentagon accused him of sharing classified information about Air Force One capabilities with a media organization.

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Kendall said Washington attorney Mark Zaid will represent him.

Zaid specializes in security clearance disputes and whistleblower cases, making him a familiar figure in legal battles involving access to sensitive government information.

Zaid previously challenged the Trump administration after officials revoked his own clearance in March 2025.

He characterized that decision as “retribution against an attorney for representing clients adverse to the government,” and his access was fully restored in January.

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Zaid told Military Times that his firm is preparing litigation involving multiple people who contend their clearances were unlawfully revoked without due process.

He did not identify the other individuals expected to join Kendall as plaintiffs.

The Trump administration has canceled clearances held by numerous prominent political figures, former cabinet officials and intelligence personnel.

In March 2025, the White House announced that nearly 20 people, including Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris, would lose their access.

Then Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced another group of 37 individuals in August 2025 whose clearances were scheduled for revocation.

The administration has treated access to classified material as a privilege tied to demonstrated trustworthiness, not a permanent benefit for Washington insiders.

During his CNN interview, Kendall denied revealing classified information and argued that the action occurred without proper procedures.

He also suggested that his public criticism of the Trump administration might have motivated the decision.

“Under the circumstances, there is a legitimate question as to whether this was a malicious and retaliatory decision,” Zaid said.

That assertion is expected to become a central argument in the coming lawsuit, though the Pentagon has publicly tied its action to an alleged unauthorized disclosure.

Kendall has repeatedly criticized Trump since leaving office in January 2025.

In a July 2025 New York Times opinion article, he accused the president of using fear to suppress dissent within the military, civil service and legal communities.

“Fear is the universal tool of authoritarians, and it is a clear sign that our democracy is in danger that so many Americans now have reason to fear their government,” Kendall wrote. “Fear has come to our country, and unlike Sandburg’s fog, it isn’t moving on any time soon.”

More recently, the New York Times and Wall Street Journal quoted Kendall raising concerns about the rapid modification of a jet donated by Qatar for presidential use.

The Pentagon subsequently revoked his clearance, alleging that he had disclosed classified details concerning Air Force One capabilities.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced on Aug. 7 that Kendall’s classified access and ability to serve in any “sensitive” position were void immediately. “This action follows his unauthorized disclosure of classified information regarding Air Force One’s capabilities to a media outlet,” Parnell said.

“Safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty,” Parnell continued.

“Those who violate that trust forfeit the privilege of access and any role requiring it.”

The Pentagon declined additional comment and referred to Parnell’s public statement. Kendall also did not respond to multiple requests for comment, leaving his CNN remarks and his attorney’s statements as his principal public defense.

Zaid said officials have not specified precisely what classified material Kendall allegedly disclosed.

He added that the only communication from the Department of War concerning the removal was the social media announcement, rather than a detailed written explanation delivered through the customary process.

According to Zaid, cases involving a contractor’s security clearance usually include a Statement of Reasons.

That formal notice explains the government’s basis for revocation and permits the affected person to respond, present evidence and challenge the allegations.

Kendall now serves as a national director on the Air and Space Forces Association board and as a nonresident senior fellow at the Center for American Progress.

His lawsuit will test how far a president and the national security establishment may go when withdrawing classified access from former officials accused of violating the government’s trust.

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