Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., issued a stark warning to U.S. military personnel on Monday, cautioning that “there will be consequences” if they allow Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., to be court-martialed over a video urging service members to “refuse illegal orders” from President Donald Trump.
According to Fox News, Gallego’s comments came hours after the Department of War announced on X that it had opened a formal review into allegations of misconduct against Kelly, a retired Navy captain.
The video, released earlier this month, featured Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers delivering a message aimed at active-duty troops.
Speaking with CNN’s Kasie Hunt, Gallego said he trusted the military and the justice system to deal with the situation appropriately. But he also stressed that senior officers understood the potential backlash if they attempted to “railroad” a sitting U.S. senator.
“Donald Trump is going to be gone in a couple of years,” Gallego said. “And if you’re part of the military that is going after sitting senators, sitting members of Congress, and part of the weaponization of government, there will be consequences, without a doubt.”
He warned that officers involved in any tribunal should be mindful of how their actions may be judged once Trump is no longer in office.
“They’re going to have to do the safest thing possible,” he said, “which is follow the Constitution of the United States, and you’ll be fine.”
Gallego also defended Kelly’s participation in the video, saying he has heard from military officials who are “concerned” about the president’s conduct.
“Also, you’re just seeing things that aren’t very normal,” he said. Gallego cited reports of Marines patrolling Los Angeles, National Guard units entering states without requests from governors, and what he described as an unprecedented “politicization of the military.”
He pointed to Trump’s recent strikes against Venezuela as further proof of irregular decision-making, noting that Congress had been provided no information — though Gallego stopped short of calling the actions illegal.
The Arizona senator reiterated that service members must refuse unlawful commands. “People need to remember,” he said, “they do not have to follow illegal orders.”
