The Trump administration is taking “administrative action” against Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., according to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
The move comes after Kelly, a retired U.S. Navy captain, took part in the making of a video urging members of the military and the intelligence community to disobey unlawful orders.
“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,” Hegseth wrote on X Monday morning.
“As a retired Navy Captain who is still receiving a military pension, Captain Kelly knows he is still accountable to military justice. And the Department of War—and the American people—expect justice,” Hegseth continued.
“Therefore, in response to Senator Mark Kelly’s seditious statements—and his pattern of reckless misconduct—the Department of War is taking administrative action against Captain Mark E. Kelly, USN (Ret).”
The Department of War has “initiated retirement grade determination proceedings,” Hegseth said, which will result in “a corresponding reduction in retired pay.”
Kelly has received a “Letter of Censure, which outlines the totality of Captain (for now) Kelly’s reckless misconduct,” Hegseth said. “This Censure is a necessary process step, and will be placed in Captain Kelly’s official and permanent military personnel file.”
Kelly issued a sharp response following Hegseth’s announcement, calling the actions of the Trump administration “outrageous” and “un-American.”
“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,” Kelly wrote on X.
“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,” the senator continued.
“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,” Kelly said.
Kelly retired from the Navy in 2011, having served since the 1980s. He served as a naval aviator during the Gulf War.
Kelly drew the Pentagon’s attention when he contributed to a video statement alongside other Democrat lawmakers in which they urged members of the military and the intelligence community to disobey unlawful orders.
“This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens,” the lawmakers state as they each say different parts of a sentence.
“Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders,” Kelly says personally.
George Caldwell contributed to this report. It is a breaking news article and may be updated.
