Secretary of the Army Takes Action Against Retired Navy Captain
Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth has announced an executive action regarding retired Navy Captain Mark Kelly. This follows what Hegseth describes as “inflammatory” public remarks made by Kelly in the latter half of 2025, which allegedly encouraged service members to disregard lawful orders.
“About six weeks ago, Senator Kelly and five other congressional members shared a video that was both reckless and inflammatory—intended to disrupt military order and discipline,” Hegseth stated. He pointed out that, as a retired Navy officer still receiving military benefits, Captain Kelly has a duty to uphold military justice. The Army and the public expect accountability.
Since Kelly continues to receive military pay, he remains under the jurisdiction of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Hegseth emphasized that the Army is initiating a process that could lead to a reevaluation of Kelly’s retirement grade, which might result in reduced severance pay.
“To formalize this action, the Secretary has issued an official letter of censure detailing Captain Kelly’s reckless conduct,” Hegseth added. This censure is procedural and will become part of Kelly’s permanent military record. Kelly has a 30-day window to respond, with the grading process expected to conclude within 45 days.
Hegseth reiterated that Kelly’s position as a U.S. senator does not exempt him from accountability. He highlighted that the controversial statements made by Kelly from June to December 2025 portrayed lawful operations as unlawful and advised military personnel to refuse legal commands. Hegseth characterized this conduct as seditious, violating the UCMJ.
There’s also an ongoing command investigation into a video featuring Kelly and several Democratic senators, which called for military members to resist “unlawful orders” without specifying any examples. Senator Elissa Slotkin from Michigan later acknowledged having “no knowledge” of any illegal orders from the Trump administration.
President Trump criticized the senators on social media, calling them “traitors” and labeling their behavior as “incitement at the highest level.” He had earlier suggested “old-fashioned” punishments but later clarified that he did not endorse any executions.
CIA officer Brian Dean Wright accused Slotkin of being well-versed in influence operations and implied ulterior motives. Meanwhile, Representative Brian Mast from Florida claimed they were trying to incite a rebellion within the military.
Watch as Mark Kelly discusses threats he feels are directed toward him from Trump.
Due to his status as a veteran, Kelly is under UCMJ jurisdiction. An internal review by the Army commenced in November, escalating to a formal command investigation by December, which could involve court-martial or other administrative actions.
In light of the investigation, Kelly expressed concern that such actions from the executive branch should alarm patriotic Americans. His attorney, Paul J. Fishman, publicly stated that there is no valid basis for any legal action against Senator Kelly and labeled the entire situation as “unconstitutional” and a significant overreach of power. He warned that if any legal proceedings were pursued, they would take all necessary steps to counter what they view as an unprecedented governmental overreach.
