Army Secretary Takes Action Against Senator’s Military Rank
On Monday, Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth announced steps to demote Senator Mark Kelly from Arizona due to his involvement in a viral video that urged military personnel and intelligence agencies to “reject unlawful orders” from the Trump administration.
In a statement shared on social media, the Pentagon indicated that they were beginning the process to lower Kelly’s military rank from retired Navy captain to a lower grade, which would also impact his retirement pay. Hegseth outlined Kelly’s behavior as “reckless” in a formal letter of censure.
“About six weeks ago, Sen. Mark Kelly, along with several others in Congress, released a provocative video that seemed designed to disrupt military order and discipline. As a retired Navy captain who still benefits from military pension, Col. Kelly is aware that he is not above military accountability,” Hegseth noted in a post.
He further stated, “In light of Sen. Kelly’s inflammatory remarks and ongoing reckless behavior, the Army is taking administrative steps against him. We have initiated a retirement grade determination process under the relevant statutes, which will lead to a decrease in both his retirement grade and corresponding pay.”
Hegseth added that Kelly’s position as a sitting senator does not protect him from potential consequences, hinting that further infractions could lead to more severe measures.
Alongside Kelly, five other Democratic lawmakers appeared in the November 18 video, which was criticized by President Trump as “inflammatory.” Notably, Senator Elissa Slotkin, a former intelligence officer, was the only senator to join in the video, and she later sought to establish a legal defense fund.
The FBI is reportedly looking into the six Democratic members of Congress connected with the video, which includes Representatives Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander, and Chrissy Hoolahan.
Meanwhile, Larry Sabato, the Director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, speculated that Hegseth’s actions might backfire, potentially paving the way for Kelly to run for president in 2028.
