WASHINGTON, D.C. (Michigan News Source) – Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said his department is taking action against U.S. Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) for his role in a video released six weeks ago that warned people in the military not to follow illegal orders.
Hegseth posted Monday on X called the video “reckless and seditious.”
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Six weeks ago, Senator Mark Kelly — and five other members of Congress — released a reckless and seditious video that was clearly intended to undermine good order and military discipline. As a retired Navy Captain who is still receiving a military pension, Captain Kelly knows he…
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) January 5, 2026
He said that because Kelly is a retired Navy captain receiving a military pension, the Department of War has started proceedings to reduce Kelly’s retired grade which would reduce his retirement compensation. The department also issued a formal Letter of Censure.
Hegseth said that because Kelly is retired and receiving a pension, he is still subject to military justice.
Kelly responded on X.
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“Over twenty-five years in the U.S. Navy, thirty-nine combat missions, and four missions to space, I risked my life for this country and to defend our Constitution – including the First Amendment rights of every American to speak out. I never expected that the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense would attack me for doing exactly that,” Kelly posted. “Pete Hegseth wants to send the message to every single retired servicemember that if they say something he or Donald Trump doesn’t like, they will come after them the same way. It’s outrageous and it is wrong. There is nothing more un-American than that.”
Over twenty-five years in the U.S. Navy, thirty-nine combat missions, and four missions to space, I risked my life for this country and to defend our Constitution – including the First Amendment rights of every American to speak out. I never expected that the President of the…
— Senator Mark Kelly (@SenMarkKelly) January 5, 2026
Kelly continued: “If Pete Hegseth, the most unqualified Secretary of Defense in our country’s history, thinks he can intimidate me with a censure or threats to demote me or prosecute me, he still doesn’t get it. I will fight this with everything I’ve got — not for myself, but to send a message back that Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump don’t get to decide what Americans in this country get to say about their government.”
The FBI’s counter terrorism division launched an investigation into Michigan’s U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D) for her part in the video.
Slotkin reposted Kelly’s tweet on her X page.
