Hold onto your hats, folks—the Pentagon just dropped a bombshell investigation into Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) over allegations of misconduct that could land the retired Navy captain in a court-martial.
According to the New York Post, last week, Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers, all military veterans, released a video urging service members to reject illegal orders, prompting a fierce backlash from President Trump, who branded their actions as seditious, while the Pentagon launched a formal probe on Monday, November 24, 2025.
The video, crafted by Kelly alongside Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) and Reps. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) didn’t point to any specific unlawful directives, which raises eyebrows about their intent.
President Trump didn’t mince words, slamming the group on Truth Social as engaging in “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL” and calling for their arrest and trial.
His fiery response, including a reposted message hinting at extreme historical punishments, was later softened over the weekend to a call for jailing the six Democrats, but the damage was done—tensions skyrocketed.
Republican voices and prominent veterans piled on, criticizing the lawmakers for potentially undermining military discipline with their vague call to disobey orders.
Unlike his fellow video participants, Kelly, as a retired Navy captain, falls under the Department of War’s jurisdiction, making him the primary target of this probe, as confirmed by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth via a social media post on X.
Hegseth didn’t hold back, stating, “Kelly’s conduct brings discredit upon the armed forces and will be addressed appropriately,” signaling a no-nonsense approach to what he sees as a dangerous precedent. Five of the six Democrats, including Slotkin, who served in the CIA, are outside the department’s reach, leaving Kelly to face the heat solo for now.
Kelly, undeterred, fired back on social media with a photo of himself in uniform, emphasizing his long-standing commitment to the Constitution since 1986 and through 25 years of service.
During a CBS News “Face the Nation” interview, he justified the video by citing concerns over Trump’s past rhetoric about possibly ordering actions like targeting terrorists’ families or shooting protesters in the legs—claims echoed by former Defense Secretary Mark Esper about events in 2020.
Yet, Slotkin herself admitted on ABC’s “This Week” that she wasn’t aware of any current illegal directives from Trump, which undercuts the urgency of their video’s message and fuels skepticism about its timing.
The backlash isn’t just political theater—Secretary Hegseth warned that such statements sow “doubt and confusion” among troops, potentially endangering them by eroding the chain of command.
While Democratic leadership, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), rallied for increased security for the six lawmakers amid Trump’s harsh words, the core issue remains: should politicians meddle in military obedience?
Let’s be real—urging soldiers to pick and choose orders without clear evidence of wrongdoing smells like a slippery slope, one that could fracture the very discipline our forces rely on, even if the intent was to protect constitutional values.