The Pentagon has moved to cut the military retirement pay of Sen. Mark Kelly after he appeared in a video urging U.S. service members to refuse illegal orders.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the action includes a formal letter of censure and proceedings that could reduce Kelly’s retired Navy rank, which would lower his pension.
Hegseth accused Kelly of reckless conduct and said the move is an administrative response, not a criminal prosecution.
Kelly, a retired Navy captain and Democrat from Arizona, rejected the action and vowed to fight it, accusing the Trump administration of trying to intimidate political opponents.
Pentagon cuts Sen. Mark Kelly's military retirement pay over a video where the retired Navy captain urged service members not to obey unlawful ordershttps://t.co/5vCy8PiL8V
— CNN (@CNN) January 5, 2026
The video featured Democratic lawmakers warning of domestic threats to the Constitution and advising the military to reject unlawful commands, according to CNN.
Some Republicans, including Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, have said it is inappropriate for the military to punish Kelly.
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TIPP Staff
TIPP Staff
