Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is publicly criticizing Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., over both his recent conduct and even the way he wears his old military uniform.
Hegseth’s comments follow the Department of War’s announcement of a formal review into allegations of misconduct stemming from a video in which Kelly and other lawmakers call on service members to “refuse illegal orders.” The department is examining whether the message undermined military discipline.
“So ‘Captain’ Kelly, not only did your sedition video intentionally undercut good order & discipline…but you can’t even display your uniform correctly,” Hegseth wrote in response to a post Kelly shared on X.
“Your medals are out of order & rows reversed. When/if you are recalled to active duty, it’ll start with a uniform inspection,” he added.
On Monday, Kelly had posted a photo of a naval uniform on X, reflecting on his service. “When I was 22 years old, I commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy and swore an oath to the Constitution,” he wrote.
“I upheld that oath through flight school, multiple deployments on the USS Midway, 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm, test pilot school, four space shuttle flights at NASA, and every day since I retired — which I did after my wife Gabby was shot in the head while serving her constituents,” Kelly continued. “In combat, I had a missile blow up next to my jet and flew through anti-aircraft fire to drop bombs on enemy targets.”
He went on to highlight his NASA career: “At NASA, I launched on a rocket, commanded the space shuttle, and was part of the recovery mission that brought home the bodies of my astronaut classmates who died on Columbia. I did all of this in service to this country that I love and has given me so much.”
The Pentagon has said it is considering recalling Kelly to active duty, where he could face court-martial or other administrative actions under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
“This matter will be handled in compliance with military law, ensuring due process and impartiality,” the department said, noting that further public statements will be limited to protect the integrity of the proceedings.
Kelly, for his part, signaled he does not intend to back down. “If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won’t work,” he said Monday. “I’ve given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies who care more about their own power than protecting the Constitution.”
