Potential Court-Martial for Senator Kelly
Senator Mark Kelly, a former Navy captain, may be called back to active duty and could face court-martial proceedings due to what the Defense Department described as “serious allegations of misconduct” currently under investigation.
The Pentagon has not disclosed the specific charges against the Arizona Democrat but referenced 18 U.S. Code Section 2387, which criminalizes actions that undermine loyalty or promote insubordination within the U.S. armed forces.
The Defense Department stated, “Any violations will be addressed through appropriate legal channels.”
Kelly is involved in a dispute with the Trump administration regarding a brief video featuring him and other Democratic lawmakers encouraging service members to disregard “illegal” orders. This video has drawn significant criticism from the White House.
President Trump expressed strong disapproval during an appearance on Fox News’ “Brian Kilmeade Show,” stating, “I think what they did is really bad. The hatred is pretty strong.”
The president accused Kelly and fellow lawmakers—Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Representative Jason Crow of Colorado, Representative Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, and Representatives Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania—of instructing troops not to follow orders from their commander in chief.
“That was a traitorous statement. That was a horrible thing to do. I believe they broke the law very strongly,” Trump remarked.
Bipartisan concerns have emerged on Capitol Hill regarding the legality of U.S. military operations targeting suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and deploying National Guard troops in U.S. cities to combat crime.
The Defense Department reminded all servicemembers of their legal obligation under the Uniform Code of Military Justice to obey lawful orders, emphasizing that personal beliefs do not excuse disobedience of lawful commands.
