Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) is suing to stop Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from going after his Navy rank for his participation in a video that President Trump called “seditious.”
Why it matters: Kelly, a retired Navy captain, alleges that the Trump administration’s attempt to punish him by demoting his military status “sends a chilling message to every retired member of the military.”
What they’re saying: “Pete Hegseth is coming after what I earned through my twenty-five years of military service, in violation of my rights as an American, as a retired veteran, and as a United States Senator whose job is to hold him—and this or any administration—accountable,” Kelly said in a statement.
- “His unconstitutional crusade against me sends a chilling message to every retired member of the military: if you speak out and say something that the President or Secretary of Defense doesn’t like, you will be censured, threatened with demotion, or even prosecuted,” he said.
Catch up quick: In November, Kelly appeared in a video with five other Democratic lawmakers, reminding military and service members they could disobey unlawful orders.
- President Trump immediately called the video “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH,” and the Pentagon opened a military investigation into Kelly.
- Last week, Hegseth issued a formal Letter of Censure against Kelly, began the process to demote his rank and threatened criminal prosecution if the senator didn’t change his behavior.
The latest: Kelly filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington, D.C. on Monday, asking a judge to deem the censure illegal and prohibit Hegseth from moving forward with the demotion process.
The other side: The Department of Defense did not immediately respond to Axios’ request for comment.
Editor’s note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Source: Mark Kelly sues Hegseth over effort to demote his Navy rank
