Hegseth mentions that the Pentagon will look into Mark Kelly’s public comments regarding a classified briefing during the current conflict.

Army Secretary Pete Hegseth raised concerns on Sunday that Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) might have breached his oath due to remarks he made following a classified briefing.

During an appearance on Face the Nation, Kelly reacted to queries about whether the Pentagon was keeping lawmakers informed about the Iran war’s impact on the U.S. weapons inventory. He mentioned that significant munitions—like the Tomahawk, Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), and others—had incurred notable damage. He estimated that it could take years to replenish these resources, hinting that this could affect any potential conflict between the U.S. and China.

In light of these comments, Hegseth questioned whether Kelly, a former Navy pilot, might have broken his oath, noting that Defense Department legal officials would look into Kelly’s statements.

“’Captain’ Mark Kelly is at it again,” Hegseth posted on X. “Now he’s inaccurately discussing classified issues on television. Did he breach his oath once more? Lawyers at the Department of War will examine this.”

Kelly, however, pushed back, stating that Hegseth had previously shared similar details during a hearing, which were not classified. He pointed out, “We talked about this a week ago, and you claimed it would take ‘years’ to restock some munitions. That’s not classified; it’s something you said. The war is costing us dearly, and you and the president haven’t clarified the goal to the American public.”

This back-and-forth occurs amidst an ongoing conflict between Hegseth and Kelly regarding a video where Hegseth is seen with several Democratic legislators urging military personnel to disobey “illegal” orders. The Justice Department is currently investigating the video, which features six Democratic lawmakers who have military or intelligence backgrounds.

In the video, the legislators assert, “This administration is putting military personnel at odds with the American people. Like us, you’ve taken an oath to defend this Constitution. The threats are not only from overseas but from within our borders. Our laws state that unlawful orders can and must be refused.”

A grand jury dismissed charges against the deputies involved back in February.

Last November, the Pentagon opened an inquiry into Kelly, referencing a federal statute allowing veterans to be recalled under certain conditions and potentially face punishment.

Hegseth has condemned Kelly and is attempting to have him demoted retroactively from his retired rank of captain for his participation in the video, which supports the principle of refusing unlawful orders. However, a court ruling has halted the Pentagon from demoting him, determining that the penalty likely infringed on Kelly’s First Amendment rights, alongside those of numerous veterans.

Following this, Hegseth appealed the court’s decision.

Last week, a panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit listened to arguments but seemed doubtful about Hegseth’s justification for punishing Kelly based on the video.

“I’m not stepping back from this fight,” Kelly asserted after the hearing.

In the aftermath of the video’s release, former President Donald Trump labeled the lawmakers as “traitors” and accused them of serious incitement, suggesting they deserved jail time. He even made a controversial statement regarding execution but later attempted to retract that comment.

Senator Slotkin, a former CIA and Pentagon employee, received a bomb threat shortly after the video and Trump’s comments, which suggested that execution could be warranted.