Sen. Mark Kelly Responds to Army Secretary’s Remarks
Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) had a strong response during an interview on MS NOW, where he addressed Army Secretary Pete Hegseth’s announcement that he, along with other members of Congress, would be receiving a censure letter due to their video urging military personnel to reject illegal orders.
During his conversation with Rachel Maddow, Kelly expressed his surprise at the government’s attempt to “silence” him. “I’m not backing down,” he asserted. “I’ll keep speaking out. I need to highlight how wrong and dangerous these actions are.” He considered this situation merely a step in a larger process, calling it a significant development.
In November, Kelly joined five other Congress members in a video encouraging military members to defy orders they deemed illegal from the Trump administration.
Maddow probed Kelly about whether the actions of the Trump administration were pushing for changes in how the military operates, especially regarding ethical conduct. Kelly suggested that it’s possible and added that Trump was likely taken aback by his comments. “Maybe I hurt his ego,” Kelly remarked, pointing out that military personnel shouldn’t show blind loyalty. Loyalty should be to the Constitution, not to individuals. “Trump didn’t like it, and as usual, he just doubled down,” he noted.
Kelly also raised concerns about what implications this could have for other veterans if the government were to manage to quiet dissenting voices. “I don’t think they’d be able to silence me, but if they could, it would certainly affect others,” he said, framing this as a serious threat to constitutional democracy.
Despite facing backlash from Trump, who accused the senators of sedition, Kelly remained resolute. When asked if he would refuse an illegal order, he reiterated that military members should clearly differentiate between legal and illegal commands. “They should know the difference. If an illegal order is given, they have the right to refuse,” he stated, explaining that they could either seek legal advice or simply refuse outright if necessary.
