Two Republican senators have advised Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth against pursuing punitive actions against Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona. This warning follows Kelly’s involvement in a video with several lawmakers urging military personnel not to comply with unlawful orders. Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Thom Tillis of North Carolina expressed their concerns about Hegseth’s intentions, as reported by The Hill.
The Pentagon has already issued a censure against Kelly, an action Tillis deemed “ridiculous.” He acknowledged the video was designed to provoke a strong reaction but emphasized that Kelly, as a U.S. senator, operates within a political sphere. “That video was rage bait, but my gosh, he is a U.S. senator who operates in a political world,” Tillis stated, according to HuffPost.
In a statement on Monday, Hegseth announced plans to demote Kelly and reduce his pension by half due to the video. He remarked, “As a retired Navy Captain who is still receiving a military pension, Captain Kelly knows he is still accountable to military justice. 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).”
Hegseth elaborated that the department initiated retirement grade determination proceedings under 10 U.S.C. 1370(f), which will result in a corresponding reduction in Kelly’s retired pay. He also issued a formal Letter of Censure detailing Kelly’s alleged misconduct, which will be permanently added to his military personnel file.
Collins criticized the decision to target Kelly’s pension, asserting it was inappropriate. Kelly, a retired Navy captain known for flying 39 combat missions and serving as an astronaut on four space missions, responded to Hegseth’s actions via social media. “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,” he wrote.
He further remarked on Hegseth’s qualifications, stating, “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.”
In addition to Kelly, the November video included contributions from several other lawmakers, including Senator Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat from Michigan and former Central Intelligence Agency agent; Representative Maggie Goodlander from New Hampshire, a former Naval officer; Representative Chris Deluzio from Pennsylvania, also a former Naval officer; Representative Chrissy Houlahan, also from Pennsylvania and a former Air Force officer; and Representative Jason Crow from Colorado, a former Army officer.
The ongoing dispute highlights the tensions within U.S. politics over military accountability and the boundaries of free speech for those in uniform. As the situation develops, further reactions from both sides of the aisle are anticipated.
