U.S. Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona has vowed to challenge administrative action initiated by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who has accused the retired Navy captain of “seditious statements” and moved to review his military rank and retirement benefits.
The dispute, reported by NPR, has sparked renewed debate over free speech, civil-military relations, and the legal boundaries governing retired service members who hold elected office.
In a statement posted on social media, Hegseth said the Department of Defense had launched a formal 45-day administrative process targeting Kelly, citing what he described as a “pattern of reckless misconduct.” According to the defense secretary, the review will examine Kelly’s retirement grade, a move that could result in a reduction of his rank and a corresponding cut in his military retirement pay. Hegseth also confirmed that a formal letter of censure has been issued and placed in Kelly’s official military file.
The action stems from Kelly’s public remarks, including a video message in which he urged U.S. troops not to follow illegal orders. Hegseth claims such statements amount to sedition, an allegation that Kelly has strongly rejected.
Responding forcefully, the Arizona senator said his rank and retirement were earned through decades of service and sacrifice.
“My rank and retirement are things that I earned through my service and sacrifice for this country,” Kelly said, recounting his experience as a Navy pilot and astronaut, as well as commanding a space shuttle mission while his wife, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, was recovering from a gunshot wound.
Kelly accused Hegseth and the Trump administration of attempting to silence dissent among retired military officers. “Pete Hegseth wants to send the message to every single retired servicemember that if they say something he or Donald Trump doesn’t like, they will come after them the same way,” he said, calling the move “outrageous” and “un-American.”
The senator made clear that he does not intend to back down.
“I will fight this with everything I’ve got — not for myself, but to send a message back that Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump don’t get to decide what Americans in this country get to say about their government,” Kelly stated.
Before entering politics, Kelly served 25 years as a U.S. Navy pilot and retired with full military benefits. Because retired officers remain subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the Pentagon launched an investigation into his conduct in November, laying the groundwork for the current administrative action.
Legal analysts note that the case could test the limits of military authority over retired officers, particularly those serving in elected civilian roles. The outcome may carry broader implications for constitutional free speech protections, civilian oversight of the military, and the balance between discipline and dissent within the ranks of former service members.
