Former Air Force Secretary To Sue Trump Admin Over Loss of Security Clearance
President Trump and his Cabinet pledged from the moment they were sworn in to renew his efforts from his first term to root out ‘deep state’ actors that would undermine his policies.
One of the most recent casualties is now-former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, who served in that role under then-President Joe Biden.
Earlier this week, Secretary of War Pete Hegset stripped Kendall of his security clearance over allegations he leaked classified information to a media outlet.
Kendall was quoted last month by The New York Times saying the new Air Force One the administration obtained from Qatar lacked the defensive capabilities of jets that presidents typically fly on.
“Effective immediately, the Department of War has REVOKED former Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall’s eligibility for access to classified information and his ability to hold any sensitive position,” Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesman, wrote on X.
Parnell emphasized that the Pentagon considers protecting classified material a fundamental responsibility for anyone entrusted with access to sensitive national security information.
“Safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty,” Parnell said.
“Those who violate that trust forfeit the privilege of access and any role requiring it,” he added.
Now, Kendall says he plans to sue the administration over the loss of his clearance.
“As my mother taught me years ago, you stand up to bullies,” Kendall, who has denied disclosing classified information, told CNN on Monday.
Mark Zaid, a prominent national security attorney who previously sued the Trump administration after his own security clearance was revoked, confirmed on X that he had been retained by Kendall. “More to come,” Zaid wrote.
Zaid specializes in representing military and civilian clients facing security clearance reviews and investigations.
Last year, he became one of the individuals targeted by the Trump administration’s broader effort to revoke clearances from people it viewed as political adversaries.
In a March 2025 executive order, Trump identified Zaid among several individuals whose security clearances were to be revoked, citing that retaining their access was “no longer in the national interest.”
The order also named former President Joe Biden, members of Biden’s family, former Biden Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
In August 2025, Trump revoked the security clearances of 37 additional current and former national security officials, including several individuals involved in issues that have drawn the president’s criticism, such as the intelligence community assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election in an effort to benefit his campaign.
The administration has also pushed back against reports raising security concerns about the Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar to Trump, which he plans to use as Air Force One for the remainder of his term.
Last month, the Justice Department subpoenaed New York Times reporters who published stories examining security concerns surrounding the aircraft, including questions about its lack of some advanced defensive systems found on the current presidential aircraft.
The subpoenas were later withdrawn after a federal judge criticized the government’s handling of the matter and raised concerns about the legal process used to obtain the reporters’ information.
As for Kendall, Pentagon officials are providing few details about precisely what was disclosed or where it appeared, but the department says the matter involved capabilities connected to one of the most recognizable and security-sensitive aircraft in the world.
Earlier in July, Kendall told The Wall Street Journal that fully modifying a Boeing 747 with the defensive capabilities necessary to protect the president should take approximately three to four years.
Before joining the Biden administration, Kendall held several senior defense positions and served as undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics during the Obama administration.
Dolly Parton’s Cause Of Death Revealed
New details are emerging about Dolly Parton’s health in the days before her death at the age of 80, including a hospitalization just four days before the country music legend passed away.
Parton’s family and representatives have not disclosed an official cause of death, leaving questions about the medical circumstances surrounding her sudden passing.
Parton died peacefully Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee, according to her publicist, bringing an end to an extraordinary entertainment career that stretched across seven decades and made her one of the most beloved figures in American music.
Just four days earlier, on Friday, August 21, Parton was admitted to a Nashville hospital, PEOPLE reported.
The specific reason for that hospitalization was not initially disclosed.
TMZ subsequently reported, citing sources familiar with the situation, that Parton had been admitted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center while dealing with kidney and autoimmune issues.
Neither condition has been officially identified as contributing to her death, and Parton’s family and representatives have not confirmed a specific cause.
The hospitalization occurred on the same day Parton publicly discussed the health problems she had been dealing with over the previous year.
“As I’ve shared in video messages throughout the past year, I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl,” Parton told PEOPLE, referring to her late husband, Carl Dean.
Dean, Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years, died in March 2025 at the age of 82.
Parton had experienced several health setbacks following her husband’s death and previously revealed that doctors wanted her to undergo multiple procedures.
Those medical issues forced the legendary performer to postpone some scheduled appearances while she focused on her recovery.
Earlier this month, Parton was also unable to attend the opening of a new attraction at Dollywood after experiencing dizziness and dehydration.
She addressed disappointed attendees through a prerecorded message, explaining that her doctor had advised her against traveling while she recovered.
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Parton had also previously dealt with kidney stones, though there has been no official indication that her history with the condition was connected to her death.
Despite her recent medical problems, Parton remained optimistic and indicated only days before her passing that she had every intention of continuing to work.
“Even though I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’!” Parton said in what became one of her final public health updates.
She added that she still had numerous projects she hoped to complete, giving little public indication that her death was imminent.
News of Parton’s passing triggered an enormous outpouring of grief and tributes from fellow entertainers, political figures, celebrities and generations of fans around the world.
Born in Tennessee in 1946 as one of 12 children, Parton rose from poverty in the Great Smoky Mountains to become one of the most successful and recognizable entertainers in history.
Her legendary catalog included enduring classics such as “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You.”
Her success extended well beyond music, with Parton becoming an accomplished actress, businesswoman and philanthropist while maintaining an unusually broad appeal across generations and political divides.
Her philanthropic legacy includes the Imagination Library, the literacy program she founded in 1995 that has distributed hundreds of millions of free books to children around the world.
Parton’s family has announced that a small private service will be held for immediate relatives.
For now, however, questions surrounding her final days remain unanswered, Trending Politics reported.
Parton was hospitalized just four days before her death and had publicly acknowledged ongoing health problems, but neither her family nor her representatives has identified a specific illness or medical condition as her official cause of death.
