War Secretary Orders Navy Review of Sen. Mark Kelly Over “Illegal Orders” Video

Key Facts

Published: November 25, 2025 Location: Washington D.C. Source: Wire Services

• War Secretary Pete Hegseth orders Navy review of Sen. Mark Kelly's "illegal orders" comments.
• Pentagon and FBI both investigating the lawmakers involved in the Nov. 18 video.
• Hegseth calls video a "politically motivated influence operation."
• Trump accuses participating members of Congress of sedition.
• Democratic lawmakers defend their message as constitutional and accuse Trump of intimidation.

by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Washington D.C. Bureau Staff

WASHINGTON D.C. (Worthy News) – U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to review recent remarks by Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) after the retired Navy captain appeared in a video urging service members to “refuse illegal orders,” a message the Trump administration has denounced as dangerous and politically motivated.

Navy Secretary John Phelan must brief Hegseth on the results of the review by Dec. 10, according to a referral issued Nov. 25.

Kelly–a former combat pilot and NASA astronaut–is also under a broader Pentagon investigation stemming from a Nov. 18 video in which he and five other Democratic lawmakers asserted that U.S. troops “can” and “must” refuse unlawful commands. The lawmakers did not identify any specific order.

Hegseth blasted the video as a “politically motivated influence operation,” arguing the message created “ambiguity rather than clarity” and risked undermining the chain of command.

“The military already has clear procedures for handling unlawful orders,” Hegseth said. “It does not need political actors injecting doubt.”

Kelly responded Monday, insisting he would not be intimidated. “I’ve given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies who care more about their own power than protecting the Constitution,” he said.

The video was released shortly after President Donald Trump confirmed a U.S. strike on a suspected drug-running vessel in the Caribbean. Trump later accused the lawmakers of sedition, noting the crime is “punishable by death.”

The FBI has contacted the lawmakers to schedule interviews, and the House and Senate Sergeants at Arms have alerted Democratic members to the investigation. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) accused Trump of “using the FBI as a tool to intimidate Congress.”

Reactions split sharply along partisan lines. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) called Kelly a “patriot,” while retired Air Force officer Buzz Patterson denounced the lawmakers for “undercutting the command of President Trump” and warned their actions could put troops at risk.

The Navy’s review is expected to examine whether Kelly’s comments, made as a retired officer, violate military law or norms governing former service members.

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