Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., lashed out Monday after War Secretary Pete Hegseth moved to censure him, vowing to fight the action "with everything I've got."
Kelly responded on social media after Hegseth announced earlier in the day that he issued a formal letter of censure, citing Kelly's role in a November video that urged U.S. service members to disregard illegal orders from President Donald Trump.
The censure proceedings could result in a demotion from Kelly's retired rank of captain in the U.S. Navy.
"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," Kelly said in the post.
He added, "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."
In November, Kelly and the other lawmakers — all veterans with backgrounds in the military and intelligence community — urged U.S. service members to uphold the Constitution and refuse to carry out what they called "illegal orders."
The 90-second video was initially posted to Michigan Democrat Sen. Elissa Slotkin's X account and featured Reps. Jason Crow, D-Colo.; Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H.; and fellow Democrats Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania in addition to Kelly and Slotkin. The lawmakers addressed U.S. service members directly.
"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 said in his post.
Kelly has been formally notified of the War Department's action and will have 30 days to respond, Hegseth said, adding that the retirement grade review process is expected to be completed within 45 days.
Kelly wrote: "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."
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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