Pentagon Moves to Censure Mark Kelly — Rank, Pay Under Review

War Secretary Pete Hegseth says Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) will receive a formal censure letter, and that Navy Secretary John Phelan has been directed to review the retired Navy captain’s retirement rank and pay, with a recommendation due in 45 days, escalating an investigation into what Hegseth calls “seditious statements” that undermined military operations.

“Six weeks ago, Senator Mark Kelly — and five other members of Congress — released a reckless and seditious video that was clearly intended to undermine good order and military discipline,” Hegseth said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“As a retired Navy Captain who is still receiving a military pension, Captain Kelly knows he is still accountable to military justice. And the Department of War — and the American people — expect justice.”

The stakes are real money. The review could downgrade Kelly’s official retirement rank, and because retirement pay is tied to rank, the move could result in a pay cut.

Kelly called the move “outrageous” and “un-American.”

“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,” Kelly said.

“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.”

Hegseth says the censure letter will spell out the “totality of Captain Kelly’s reckless misconduct.”

“‘This Censure is a necessary process step, and will be placed in Captain Kelly’s official and permanent military personnel file,’” Hegseth said.

And the department’s warning is blunt: being a sitting U.S. senator “does not exempt him from accountability,” and “further violations could result in further action.”

More over at Fox News:

ON NOTICE: Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says Sen. Mark Kelly will receive a formal censure letter and that he has ordered a review of the retired Navy captain’s rank and pay for making “seditious statements” in a viral video urging service members to refuse “illegal orders.” pic.twitter.com/EJIZWJZIN8

— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 5, 2026