January 1, Pentagon Targets Mark Kelly Over Seditious Video

Wyatt’s Take

• The Pentagon is moving to demote Senator Mark Kelly and cut his pension after he appeared in a video telling soldiers to disobey presidential orders.
• Kelly is the only participant open to military justice due to his retired Navy status.
• Secretary Pete Hegseth called Kelly’s words seditious and started proceedings against him.

The Pentagon has started the process to demote Sen. Mark Kelly and reduce his military retirement pay. Kelly is under fire for appearing in a video urging service members to ignore lawful orders from the president.

The Secretary of War called out Kelly in a statement, saying his “reckless misconduct” has led to these administrative actions. Kelly’s official retired status allows the military to punish him, unlike the other lawmakers in the video.

“In response to Senator Mark Kelly’s seditious statements — and his pattern of reckless misconduct — the Department of War is taking administrative action against Captain Mark E. Kelly, USN (Ret),” Pete Hegseth stated. “The department has initiated retirement grade determination proceedings under 10 U.S.C. § 1370(f), with reduction in his retired grade resulting in a corresponding reduction in retired pay.”

Kelly was joined in the video by five other Democrats with military backgrounds, but only he remains subject to military law because he receives a Navy pension. In November, the Pentagon even considered recalling him to active duty for a possible court-martial.

According to Hegseth, Kelly’s recent statements from June to December 2025 encouraged soldiers to refuse orders, calling it “conduct seditious in nature.” The military says this broke laws under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Hegseth noted that Kelly has one month to reply and a ruling should come in 45 days.

The video, featuring other lawmakers, implied that troops have the right to ignore any presidential order they personally disagree with. Hegseth claimed the video “was clearly intended to undermine good order and military discipline.”

Kelly fired back, framing the issue as a First Amendment fight. “Over twenty-five years in the U.S. Navy, thirty-nine combat missions, and four missions to space, I risked my life for this country and to defend our Constitution — including the First Amendment rights of every American to speak out. I never expected that the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense would attack me for doing exactly that,” Kelly said. “If Pete Hegseth, the most unqualified Secretary of Defense in our country’s history, thinks he can intimidate me with a censure or threats to demote me or prosecute me, he still doesn’t get it. 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.”

The Department of War said Kelly had used his Navy ties to spread discord in the military. Laws against encouraging insubordination in the ranks have been on the books for decades and carry serious penalties.

“Captain Kelly’s status as a sitting United States Senator does not exempt him from accountability, and further violations could result in further action,” Hegseth warned.

Politicians are not above the law or the duty to our country. America’s core values depend on order and discipline, not reckless calls to disobey.

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Wyatt Matters

Middle America expects loyalty to country and the rule of law. Our communities rely on trust in our military, not political grandstanding that threatens order.