Frank Kendall Sounds the Alarm: America’s Military Is Being Politicized From the Top Down

From autonomous weapons to political interference, a former Air Force Secretary confronts the threats to America's military future.

In this episode of The Steady State Sentinel, retired Space Force Colonel Bree Fram sits down with former Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall to examine the future of warfare and the mounting challenges facing America's military leadership. Drawing on Fram's recent firsthand observations in Ukraine and Kendall's book on the future of warfare, they explore how artificial intelligence, autonomous weapons, and uncrewed systems are fundamentally transforming modern combat. Kendall explains why America's military must move beyond traditional platforms, what Ukraine's battlefield innovations reveal about the next generation of warfare, and why careful strategic planning is essential to maintaining America's military advantage.

The conversation turns to the growing politicization of the Pentagon and the consequences for military professionalism, national security, and democratic accountability. Kendall delivers a sharp assessment of current Defense Department leadership and the rise of authoritarianism. He discusses the revocation of his security clearance, and warns about the dangers of silencing dissent within the armed forces. From the feasibility of the administration's Golden Dome missile defense initiative to the importance of America's alliances, Fram and Kendall examine the difficult decisions facing the nation's military leaders. At the heart of their discussion is a fundamental question: When political pressure conflicts with professional judgment and constitutional obligations, will America's military leaders have the courage to speak up?

Frank Kendall served as the 26th Secretary of the Air Force from 2021 to 2025, overseeing the U.S. Air Force and Space Force, and previously served as Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics from 2012 to 2017. With more than five decades of experience in national security, military modernization, engineering, and defense acquisition, Kendall has held senior positions across government and the private sector, including Vice President of Engineering at Raytheon and a seat on the Board of Directors of Leidos. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, he holds advanced degrees from the California Institute of Technology, Long Island University, and Georgetown University Law Center. He has also worked as a pro bono human rights attorney