Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Monday began taking steps to demote Democratic Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly from his current military rank over his role in a viral video telling U.S. service members and spy agencies they must “refuse illegal orders” by the Trump administration.
Hegseth posted a statement to social media saying the Pentagon is taking administrative action to initiate retirement grade proceedings  to demote Kelly from a retired Navy captain to a lower rank, with a corresponding deduction in pay. Hegseth also announced a formal letter of censure, outlining Kelly’s “reckless misconduct.”
“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. As a retired Navy Captain who is still receiving a military pension, Captain Kelly knows he is still accountable to military justice,” Hegseth wrote in a Monday morning X post.
“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 War Secretary added. “The department has initiated retirement grade determination proceedings under 10 U.S.C. § 1370(f), with reduction in his retired grade resulting in a corresponding reduction in retired pay.”
“Captain Kelly’s status as a sitting United States Senator does not exempt him from accountability, and further violations could result in further action,” Hegseth’s statement added.
Kelly responded to the Pentagon’s move in a statement later Monday, saying there’s nothing “more un-American” than the message he says Hegseth is trying to send by the move to demote him.
“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,” Kelly wrote in the statement.
“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 Arizona Democrat 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.”
Five other Democrats appeared in the Nov. 18 video which President Donald Trump blasted as “seditious.” Kelly’s upper chamber colleague, Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a former intelligence officer, was the only other senator to participate in the video. Slotkin in December 2025 moved to create her own legal defense fund while the FBI pursues an inquiry into the six total Democratic lawmakers.
House Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, who are all military veterans, were also in the video.
University of Virginia Center for Politics Director Larry Sabato suggested on X that Hegseth’s move could backfire and position Kelly as a potential 2028 presidential candidate.
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