Sen. Mark Kelly Responds to Pentagon Investigation
On Monday, Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, appeared on MS NOW’s “The Rachel Maddow Show” to discuss the Pentagon’s decision to investigate allegations of wrongdoing linked to a video urging military members to “reject illegal orders.”
The Pentagon has initiated an investigation into Kelly, a retired Navy colonel, which could lead to his return to active duty for a court-martial or some other administrative action under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
In his conversation with Maddow, Kelly remarked, “Well, Rachel, I expressed a very straightforward point: military personnel must obey the law. In response, Donald Trump suggested I should be executed or hanged.” He felt that such extreme reactions spoke volumes about Trump’s character, indicating a reluctance to accept accountability.
Kelly continued, noting that Trump had proclaimed, “Let’s go get them,” which implied he was inciting a mob against Kelly and others.
When Maddow probed about specific illegal orders that concerned him and others, Kelly likened the concern to a parent warning a child to look both ways before crossing a street. “You don’t wait for something bad to happen before you act,” he said. He further recalled a 2016 debate where Trump insisted the military would not disobey his orders, even when reminded by a moderator that such orders could be illegal.
Kelly criticized Trump’s comments about using force against American citizens, particularly protesters. He expressed gratitude for the advice from former officials like Mark Esper and Mark Milley, who clarified that those ideas were problematic.
He emphasized that the intent of their video was to remind military personnel of their legal obligations and convey support for them during turbulent times. However, he expressed frustration over how Trump responded by insisting that Kelly and his colleagues should be hanged.
The White House has yet to provide a statement regarding the matter.
Just a week prior to this incident, Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers released a video emphasizing that military and intelligence personnel could refuse unlawful orders.
Four of the other Democrats involved in the video have military backgrounds but remain active, thus not falling under UCMJ, according to Army Secretary Pete Hegseth, while Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan has ties to the CIA.
Hegseth stated that Kelly’s words had an authoritative tone due to his rank, and it was essential to handle the situation properly as it could damage the military’s reputation.
In stark contrast, Trump called for the arrest and trial of the lawmakers for “sedition,” even stating that it could carry a death penalty.
