Pentagon launches probe into Mark Kelly's remarks, amid Trump's 'seditious' accusation.
The Pentagon has initiated a review to determine whether Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a retired Navy captain, may have broken military law by urging U.S. service members to reject unlawful orders in a video recently released with several other lawmakers. This comes as President Donald Trump has called the remarks "seditious behavior", with some suggesting that Kelly and his fellow lawmakers could be arrested or even killed for their views.
Kelly's comments, made in direct address to military personnel, said that troops have the right to refuse orders that violate the Constitution or federal law. The Pentagon has stated that it will investigate allegations of misconduct against Kelly under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), a federal statute that allows the defense secretary to recall retired military personnel for potential court-martial.
The Defense Department's statement cited Section 688 of the UCMJ, which prohibits actions intended to interfere with loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline within the armed forces. The agency also stated that Kelly's remarks could have affected "the loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the armed forces", leading to a thorough review of the allegations.
While the Pentagon has not specified whether further action will be taken against other lawmakers who appeared in the video with Kelly, Secretary Pete Hegseth has stated that their conduct would be "addressed appropriately". Trump had endorsed a social media post calling for the arrest and prosecution of those deemed "traitorous" or "seditionists", sparking widespread outrage.
Kelly's office has declined to comment on the investigation, but the senator has previously expressed his willingness to stand up to Trump's threats. In response to the Pentagon probe, Kelly stated that he would not be intimidated by Trump's continued aggression.
The Pentagon has initiated a review to determine whether Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a retired Navy captain, may have broken military law by urging U.S. service members to reject unlawful orders in a video recently released with several other lawmakers. This comes as President Donald Trump has called the remarks "seditious behavior", with some suggesting that Kelly and his fellow lawmakers could be arrested or even killed for their views.
Kelly's comments, made in direct address to military personnel, said that troops have the right to refuse orders that violate the Constitution or federal law. The Pentagon has stated that it will investigate allegations of misconduct against Kelly under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), a federal statute that allows the defense secretary to recall retired military personnel for potential court-martial.
The Defense Department's statement cited Section 688 of the UCMJ, which prohibits actions intended to interfere with loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline within the armed forces. The agency also stated that Kelly's remarks could have affected "the loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the armed forces", leading to a thorough review of the allegations.
While the Pentagon has not specified whether further action will be taken against other lawmakers who appeared in the video with Kelly, Secretary Pete Hegseth has stated that their conduct would be "addressed appropriately". Trump had endorsed a social media post calling for the arrest and prosecution of those deemed "traitorous" or "seditionists", sparking widespread outrage.
Kelly's office has declined to comment on the investigation, but the senator has previously expressed his willingness to stand up to Trump's threats. In response to the Pentagon probe, Kelly stated that he would not be intimidated by Trump's continued aggression.
this is getting crazy 
like how can trump accuse mark kelly of being seditious? does he even know what that means? it's just a bunch of fake news trying to stir up drama and get more clicks on the news 
meanwhile kelly is just standing up for what's right and refusing to back down 
gotta respect him for that 
I'm kinda surprised the Pentagon is launching an investigation over this. Like, isn't free speech a thing? 
Mark Kelly was just stating his opinion as a senator and a former Navy captain. It's not like he's calling for a military coup or anything. The fact that Trump is trying to label it "seditious behavior" seems like a huge overreach to me... 
I mean, if we're gonna start arresting people for expressing unpopular views, where does it end? 
I think Kelly's comments were a call to action, reminding service members that they have a duty to follow their conscience and uphold the Constitution. It's not sedition, it's patriotism! 
. I'm glad Kelly's not backing down, though - he needs to stand up for himself and the rest of us who value our rights. This whole thing just feels like a whole lotta drama 
.
like who hasn't ever spoken out against their boss or leader at some point in their life? 
Mark Kelly's just doing his job and saying what needs to be said, but I guess the Pentagon's all like "nope, can't do that" 
. It's weird how they're investigating him under Section 688 when it basically says "don't mess with our morale or discipline"... sounds like a bit of an oxymoron, right? 
. With that kind of frustration and distrust towards the government, it's no wonder people are speaking out against unlawful orders 
. Here's a chart on how US veterans have been using their voices for change:
2019: 70% of veterans support government accountability
2020: 40% of veterans say they've considered taking action against unjust orders
.
the pentagon should focus on actual threats 2 national security rather than trying 2 silence opposing views. it's kinda ironic that trump is accusing Kelly of seditious behavior when he's been the one fueling division & conflict in the country. anyway, this whole thing feels like a slippery slope - what's next? arresting lawmakers for having differing opinions? 
what's next? are we gonna start arresting ppl for having opinions 
. We need more respectful dialogue, not this kind of aggressive rhetoric. Ultimately, it's up to the Pentagon to decide whether Kelly broke any laws, but I hope they focus on finding answers rather than trying to silence him 
. And let's be real, Trump's been stirring up a lot of drama with his "seditious" accusations... it sounds like he's trying to deflect from his own controversies 
. I'm not saying Kelly should've phrased it differently, but I think the Pentagon's being too quick to jump on the bandwagon 
. Maybe they're trying to send a message about who's in charge? 