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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on Monday (January 5) that the Pentagon will reduce Senator Mark Kelly's military retirement pay. This decision comes as a consequence of Kelly's participation in a video where he and other Democratic lawmakers reminded U.S. service members of their duty to refuse illegal orders. Hegseth stated in a post on X that the U.S. military will issue a secretarial letter of censure to Kelly, serving as a written reprimand without practical consequences for the Arizona Democrat.
The Pentagon's actions include initiating retirement grade determination proceedings under 10 U.S.C. § 1370(f), which will result in a reduction of Kelly's retired grade and a corresponding decrease in his retirement pay. Hegseth accused Kelly of making "seditious statements" and engaging in "reckless misconduct." CNN reported that Hegseth considered various options to punish Kelly, including reducing his rank and pension or prosecuting him under military law.
The controversial video, which featured Kelly alongside five other Democratic lawmakers, did not specify which orders might be illegal. However, it raised concerns about the legality of U.S. military actions, such as strikes against suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and military deployments to cities against governors' protests. Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker, a Republican and chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, expressed opposition to punishing Kelly, stating it was inappropriate.
Kelly, a retired Navy captain, has one month to respond to the Pentagon's actions. Hegseth is expected to finalize the process within 45 days.