Pentagon Escalates Investigation into Sen. Mark Kelly for ‘Serious Allegations of Misconduct’
The Department of War (DOW) is intensifying its review of Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a retired Navy captain, into a formal command investigation into his participation in a video described as “seditious” by President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
DOW officials announcement preliminary examination on November 24 in response to a video he published with other Democratic lawmakers calling on military and intelligence officials to “refuse illegal orders” from the Trump administration.
Hegseth called the video “despicable, reckless and false,” calling Kelly, Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Reps. Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Jason Crow (D-CO) the “Redious Six” in a social media post:
While four of the other participants in the video are former military personnel, Hegseth explained that they are not “retired” and therefore “no longer subject” to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
The video made by the “Seditious Six” was despicable, reckless and false. Encouraging our warriors to ignore orders from their commanders undermines all aspects of “good order and discipline.” Their stupid screed sows doubt and confusion, which only puts our warriors in danger.
“However, (retired Navy Commander) Mark Kelly is still subject to the UCMJ – and he knows it,” the secretary said. “As has been announced, the department is reviewing his statements and actions, which addressed all troops directly while explicitly using his rank and military affiliation – giving an appearance of authority to his remarks. Kelly’s conduct brings the armed forces into disrepute and will be addressed appropriately.”
The investigation could result in further action, including recalling Kelly to active duty status to initiate “court-martial or administrative action proceedings,” the DOW said. said.
A DOW official confirmed that the investigation had been intensified in a statement Monday evening to Breitbart News:
The Office of the Secretary of War, in conjunction with the Office of the General Counsel of the Department of War, is elevating the preliminary examination of Captain Mark Kelly, USN (Ret.), to a formal command investigation. Retired Captain Kelly is currently under investigation for serious allegations of misconduct. Other official comments will be limited to preserve the integrity of the proceedings.
Command Investigations are conducted in a variety of situations, with Crisp and Associates Military Law explaining that they can take place in the event of allegations of “misconduct, breaches of discipline or criminal activities within the command”.
Kelly responded to the escalation in a Monday evening statement got by Chad Pergram of Fox News:
It should make any patriotic American shudder that the President and Secretary of Defense would abuse their power to go after me or anyone in this way.
It wasn’t enough for Donald Trump to say I should be hanged. Pete Hegseth wasn’t enough to threaten me with a court martial. Today, they threaten everything I fought for and served for twenty-five years in the United States Navy – all because I repeated something every service member has learned.
The United States has the most professional military in the world – I have confidence in their integrity. What I don’t trust is Pete Hegseth, a reckless and unqualified Secretary of Defense who has already shown that he is corrupting any process to make an example of me and send a message to every veteran and every American that they should not speak out.
If Trump and Hegseth think this will stop me from doing what I’ve done every day of my adult life – fighting for this country – then they’ve got the wrong guy. Tomorrow and the next day, I will continue to do my job representing Arizona.
Trump made several posts on Truth Social about the controversial video, at one point. adage “seditious behavior” is “punishable by DEATH!” He also reposted other people’s comments on the topic, including one that said, “Hang them, George Washington would.”
He then clarified on the radio interview with Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade that he wasn’t threatening to kill Democratic lawmakers.
“I’m not threatening them, but I think they have serious problems. I would say they have serious problems. I’m not threatening death, but I think they have serious problems. It used to be death,” he said.
Kelly’s attorney, Paul J. Fishman of the law firm Arnold & Porter, publicly shared a letter he sent to Secretary of the Navy John Phelan earlier today, before the escalation:
“To be clear: there is no legitimate basis for any type of proceeding against Senator Kelly, and such an effort would be unconstitutional and constitute an extraordinary abuse of power,” he said. “Should the executive branch move forward in any forum – criminal, disciplinary or administrative – we will take all appropriate legal action on behalf of Senator Kelly to put an end to the administration’s unprecedented and dangerous excesses.”
Olivia Rondeau is a political reporter for Breitbart News based in Washington, DC. Find it on X/Twitter And Instagram.
