Sen. Kelly Slams Hegseth Over Censure Letter, Vows Fight

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., a retired Navy captain, blasted Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's decision to downgrade his military retirement rank and pay on Tuesday, vowing to fight the process "with every tool that we have."

Hegseth announced Monday on X that he would be issuing a letter of censure to Kelly over the lawmaker's participation in a video that called on troops to resist unlawful orders.

Hegseth said the letter, which will be placed in Kelly's military personnel file, was "a necessary process step" to proceedings that could result in a demotion of Kelly's retired rank and pay.

At a news conference Tuesday on Capitol Hill covered by Newsmax, Kelly, holding a copy of the letter, said "what Secretary Hegseth did in sending this letter is an erosion of every U.S. citizens' First Amendment rights."

"The point is that they're trying to shut me up, and that's not going to happen," Kelly said. "So, whether I win or lose this, that's not the consequential thing.

"The consequential thing is, do Americans still speak out against this government? I view that not only as a right but a responsibility, especially in my job on the Armed Services Committee.

"I have oversight responsibility for the Department of Defense. I sit on the Intelligence Committee.

"So whether I lose or win this fight, we're going to fight this with everything we have because I'm certainly in the right here. I said something that I believed, that's lawful, that was true.

"This White House's response is that I should be executed."

Kelly was referring to a Truth Social post written by President Donald Trump after the video's release in November, accusing Kelly and five other lawmakers, all Democrats, of sedition "punishable by DEATH," reposting messages from others about the video and amplifying it with his own words.

"Mark Kelly sowed doubt in a clear chain of command, which is reckless, dangerous, and deeply irresponsible for an elected official," White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told Newsmax. "Actions have consequences, and, as Secretary Hegseth said, Kelly's status as a sitting U.S. senator does not exempt him from accountability."

The lawmakers involved in the 90-second video — Kelly, Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, and Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire — have military or intelligence backgrounds.

They spoke directly to U.S. service members, urging them to uphold the Constitution and defy "illegal orders." Slotkin later acknowledged that no illegal orders had been given to military personnel before the video appeared.

Kelly said the dispute is not just about him and accused Hegseth of trying to scare and "silence everybody."

"This is something you're taught in the military, pretty early in your career, depending on what kind of job you're in and who your boss is," Kelly said. "You may or may not be reminded of it much, but it's a pretty simple message that we don't follow unlawful orders.

"And when orders and the law are in conflict, you follow the law. It's on a plaque at West Point."

Kelly said Hegseth's letter contains statements "that are not even true," though he did not elaborate.

The New York Times reported that the letter, released by Kelly's office, accused him of engaging in "a sustained pattern of public statements" over a six-month period beginning in June that portrayed lawful military operations as "illegal."

The letter cited Kelly's criticism of Hegseth for firing generals and admirals and surrounding himself with "yes men," and said Kelly continued through December to accuse Hegseth and senior military officers of war crimes.

"They're trying to stifle speech, not just from U.S. senators, [but] from the public as well," Kelly said. "This president doesn't like people that disagrees with them. That's why you could see the difference in who these cabinet members are this time compared to his first term. A bunch of yes people around him that will never disagree with him. It's a recipe for disaster."

Newsmax has contacted the Department of War for comment.