On Monday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth formally censured Democratic Senator Mark Kelly and initiated proceedings that could strip the Arizona lawmaker of his retired military rank and dismantle his pension. This escalation follows Kelly’s call for service members to resist unlawful orders, raising questions about civic engagement and accountability in military ranks.

Just days after a covert mission aimed at capturing Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, Secretary Hegseth announced that Kelly faces retirement grade determination proceedings—a rare administrative action that may lead to the former astronaut and Navy captain’s demotion in his retired status. Hegseth accused Kelly of making “seditious statements” that he claims undermine military discipline.

“Senator Mark Kelly—along with five other members of Congress—released a reckless and seditious video clearly intended to disrupt good order and military discipline,” Hegseth stated on social media. He emphasized that Kelly “is still accountable to military justice” as a retired officer receiving military pay.

In November, Senator Kelly and five Democratic lawmakers, all veterans of the military or intelligence, released a 90-second video addressed to service members regarding the deployment of the National Guard across the country. They called on troops to uphold the Constitution and defy what they labeled as illegal commands.

Hegseth’s statement contends that Kelly’s conduct from June to December 2025 violated articles 133 and 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which the senator remains subject to as a retired officer receiving pension funds. The Defense Secretary claims Kelly “characterized lawful military operations as illegal and counseled members of the Armed Forces to reject lawful orders.”

This accusation has been challenged for months. Military law mandates that troops refuse unlawful orders, which is precisely what Kelly and his fellow lawmakers echoed. Federal judges have ruled that former President Donald Trump’s military deployments in cities like Los Angeles violated the Posse Comitatus Act, indicating that the orders Kelly warned about may indeed have been illegal.

In the November video, Senator Elissa Slotkin acknowledged that military personnel were “under enormous stress and pressure right now” due to Trump administration policies.

Shortly after the video’s release, Trump accused the lawmakers of sedition “punishable by DEATH” in a social media post, stirring further controversy around government policy and political strategy.

Senator Kelly has 30 days to respond to this censure, which will be recorded in his permanent military personnel file. Hegseth has instructed the Navy Secretary to complete the rank review within 45 days.

This unprecedented action by the Defense Department against a sitting U.S. senator signals that accountability in military and political spheres remains contentious. “Captain Kelly’s status as a sitting United States Senator does not exempt him from consequences, and further violations could result in additional measures,” Hegseth cautioned.