US EditionHegseth wants briefing on review of Senator Kelly's conduct by Dec 10, memo says
War Secretary Pete Hegseth demanded a Navy review of Sen. Mark Kelly's video urging troops to refuse illegal orders, with a report due by Dec. 10, 2025.
- On November 25, 2025, War Secretary Pete Hegseth referred Senator Kelly's conduct to Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, demanding a briefing by December 10, 2025, as posted by the Department of War on X.
- As critics noted, the Department of War received information that Kelly's video on or about November 18, 2025, urged troops to refuse illegal orders, prompting review. Hegseth wrote.
- Because Kelly is a retired captain, he remains subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and Hegseth is weighing administrative penalties and court-martial despite separation-of-powers concerns from a coalition of former and retired military judge advocates.
- Pentagon officials said the review could lead to recall for court-martial proceedings or administrative measures, and the administration argued Kelly's remarks risked encouraging troops to disobey lawful orders while Hegseth condemned the video as undermining discipline.
- Legal analysts say this conflict may test longstanding boundaries between the executive and legislative branches and the Pentagon's apolitical role amid national scrutiny and debate.
22 Articles
22 Articles
Hegseth focuses on potential punishments for Sen. Kelly in confrontation over ‘illegal orders’ video
By Zachary Cohen, CNN (CNN) — Publicly, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has been highly critical of the six Democratic lawmakers who released a video last week urging military service members to disobey illegal orders, calling the lawmakers the “Seditious Six” and categorizing their message as “despicable, reckless, and false.” That criticism has particularly focused on Sen. Mark Kelly, the member of the group who had the longest tenure in the…
Hegseth focuses on potential punishments for Sen. Kelly in confrontation over ‘illegal orders’ video
By Zachary Cohen, CNN (CNN) — Publicly, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has been highly critical of the six Democratic lawmakers who released a video last week urging military service members to disobey illegal orders, calling the lawmakers the “Seditious Six” and categorizing their message as “despicable, reckless, and false.” That criticism has particularly focused on Sen. Mark Kelly, the member of the group who had the longest tenure in the…
Hegseth focuses on potential punishments for Sen. Kelly in confrontation over ‘illegal orders’ video
Publicly, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has been highly critical of the six Democratic lawmakers who released a video last week urging military service members to disobey illegal orders, calling the lawmakers the “Seditious Six” and categorizing their message as “despicable, reckless, and false.”
'Clear violation of military law': MS NOW host says Hegseth doomed his own lawmaker threat
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's threats against the six Democratic lawmakers who posted the video reminding active troops they must refuse unlawful orders, is already set up to fail, MS NOW's Chris Hayes said on Tuesday evening.That's because, he said, he has left a paper trail making clear he i...
Hegseth orders Navy to review Mark Kelly comments
War Secretary Pete Hegseth asked the Navy on Tuesday to review Sen. Mark Kelly’s (D-AZ) comments in a video featuring several Democratic lawmakers urging military personnel not to follow illegal orders. Kelly was one of six Democratic lawmakers to feature in the video, with the remarks viewed by the Trump administration as a wink-and-nod call for insubordination. After the War Department announced a “thorough review” of the allegations on Monday…
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