Sen. Mark Kelly vows to fight after Pentagon moves over video urging troops to refuse unlawful orders

Time reports that Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona vowed he would “fight” after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced administrative actions against the retired Navy captain for participating in a video that urged U.S. troops to refuse unlawful orders. Hegseth said the Department of Defense is initiating proceedings that could reduce Kelly’s military pension and that he issued a “formal Letter of Censure” that “outlines the totality of Captain (for now) Kelly’s reckless misconduct” and will go in the retired captain’s “official and permanent military personnel file.” Hegseth called the November video, posted by Kelly and five other lawmakers, “seditious,” and said Kelly remains accountable to military justice as a pension recipient; he also said the “Department of War—and the American people—expect justice.” President Donald Trump called the video “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” while legal experts previously said nothing the six Democrats said was “seditious” or “illegal,” with Brenner Fissell of Villanova noting they encouraged disobedience of unlawful orders, which he called “a correct statement of the law.” Hegseth said Kelly has 30 days to submit a response and that Kelly’s retirement grade will be determined within 45 days.

Key Topics

Politics, Mark Kelly, Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump, Military Pension