A video posted on Friday urged members of the military to refuse unlawful orders and featured Senator Mark Kelly, Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin, and four members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
On Monday, the U.S. military said it was considering a court-martial against Democratic Senator and former astronaut Mark Kelly for appearing in the video.
Kelly, a Navy combat pilot veteran and former commander of the Space Shuttle Endeavour’s final mission, responded that he would not be intimidated or silenced.
The Pentagon threatened to recall the Arizona senator to active duty in order to subject him to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Officials said Kelly may have undermined loyalty, morale, and discipline within the armed forces, citing laws against interfering with military cohesion.
It is highly unusual for the Pentagon—traditionally resistant to overt political involvement until President Donald Trump’s return to office this year—to publicly threaten a sitting member of Congress.
The video released on Friday featured Kelly, Slotkin, and several House members calling on service members to refuse illegal orders.
Trump accused the group of seditious behavior and said it was punishable by death. Over the weekend, he wrote in an all-caps social media post that the “traitors” who encouraged troops to disobey him should be jailed.
Acting Like Fascists
The Democrats did not specify which orders they believed were unlawful. Trump has deployed the National Guard to several U.S. cities—often against the wishes of local officials—to address what he described as widespread unrest.
Internationally, Trump has ordered strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, resulting in more than 80 deaths. Experts have raised concerns that these operations may violate international law.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the Democrats the “Seditious Six” and described the video as despicable, reckless, and false. He said Kelly had brought discredit on the armed forces by addressing troops while invoking his military rank, which could give his remarks an authoritative tone.
Analysts and Kelly’s supporters warned that the Pentagon’s actions could elevate his national profile ahead of a possible 2028 presidential campaign.
Kelly posted a photo of his military medals and summarized his Navy and NASA service. He said that attempts to intimidate him or other members of Congress into avoiding their responsibilities would not succeed.
He stated that he had contributed too much to the country to be silenced by people who cared more about power than the Constitution.
In a strongly worded video, Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona, an Iraq War veteran, called the Pentagon’s move “insane” and said Hegseth and others were acting like fascists. He defended Kelly as a patriot and argued there was no valid reason for the backlash, saying Kelly was fulfilling his duty by reminding service members of their rights.
