Today, Defense Secretary Pete ‘Signal Gate’ Hegseth posted on social media that he is formally proceeding with censuring Arizona Senator Mark Kelly for his participation in the video with other Democratic Congressmen who had served as veterans, which warned active duty military personnel not to obey illegal orders.
If the censure goes through, Senator Kelly may be reduced in rank and lose some of his military pension.
That what Kelly did was not illegal or against, as Hegesth falsely claims; the military code of conduct should not be forgotten by readers.
The Senior Arizona Senator has already started fighting back against the latest Hegseth move, saying in a press release:
“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.
“My rank and retirement are things that I earned through my service and sacrifice for this country. I got shot at. I missed holidays and birthdays. I commanded a space shuttle mission while my wife Gabby recovered from a gunshot wound to the head — all while proudly wearing the American flag on my shoulder. Generations of servicemembers have made these same patriotic sacrifices for this country, earning the respect, appreciation, and rank they deserve.
“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. It’s outrageous and it is wrong. There is nothing more un-American than that.
“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 Senator also released the below video on social media where he said:
“I’ve got a question for you.
How many generations of Donald Trump’s family have served in the military?
Zero!
Now for me and my family service to our country is in my blood.
My great-grandfather served in the U.S Navy after immigrating from Ireland.
Both of my grandfathers served in World War Two.
Both of my parents wore uniforms.
My dad in the 82nd Airborne, and both of them as career police officers.
And when it was our turn, my brother and I started as volunteer EMTs as teenagers before becoming Navy Captains, pilots in the United States Navy, and NASA astronauts.
Donald Trump? He deferred the draft five times because he had bone spurs.
Look, not everyone has to serve in our military.
I get that, but when you’re gonna question my patriotism and lecture me about Duty to this country and threaten me with a court-martial. Four Generations of service to this country earns me the right to speak. Five deferments, earns nothing.”
Members of Arizona’s Democratic Congressional Delegation have again rushed to Senator Kelly’s defense.
Representative Yassamin Ansari posted:
“This is vindictive political retribution.
For over 25 years, Senator Mark Kelly defended our country and our freedoms—including the First Amendment. Punishing a veteran to silence political speech is authoritarian. Trump and Hegseth have never been more un-American.”
Representative Adelita Grijalva wrote:
“Let’s be clear. Senator Mark Kelly is a national hero. He served our country bravely overseas and in space. Now, the Secretary of War is punishing him for defending our troops’ right to refuse illegal orders. That’s not just wrong — it’s un-American. Is this how veterans are treated now? Keep your mouth shut, or we’ll cut your hard-earned pension and demote you. DISGRACEFUL.“
Representative Greg Stanton posted:
“In Trump’s America, the military is loyal to him, not to the Constitution. So when a decorated combat veteran like
Senator Mark Kelly defends the rule of law, and Trump punishes him for it.
The message is clear: fall in line, or Trump will come for you. This authoritarian intimidation puts every veteran’s benefits at risk for political revenge.
Our country — and the people who defend it — deserve better.”
Senator Ruben Gallego wrote:
“Pete is wasting the military’s time attacking a true American hero just to feed his own ego.
No amount of attacking Senator Kelly will get him the love and attention from Trump that he craves.
It’s honestly sad.”
Political commentator and forecaster Larry Sabato is right when he writes that Senator Kelly “could ride this horse right into the White House, courtesy of Trump’s unquenchable thirst for retribution.”
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Wonder if Hegseth et. al. realize that their attacks on Kelly only bolster his chances of being the presidential or VP nominee in 2028?
Mark Kelly is a United States Senator.
Congress is a clown car, but in the Senate, thanks to the Constitution, the minority party has a fuck-ton of power.
Thanks slave states!
So Kelly could at anytime put the brakes on most of what MAGA is doing and demand KegBreath restore his pension!
I mean, since Dems spend all day lying saying “we don’t hold the levers of power”, including Kelly on The Daily Show just this week, maybe hitting them in their bank accounts would help motivate them to go Full Mitch McConnell.
What’s that? They’re waiting until the mid-terms and hoping for a big day?
Oh, well then, never mind, hoping to get re-elected is far more important than stopping fascism and kleptocracy.
Let’s not forget that Grandpa Drumph emigrated to the US to avoid being compulsory military service in the Kaiser’s army. After making his fortune as a successful brothel owner in Alaska he tried going back to regain his German citizenship and was told no way. So he stayed here. Cowardice runs in that family.