Mark Kelly ripped Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who announced on Monday that the Pentagon was moving to punish the Arizona senator because of a video he and others made that urged U.S. military members to uphold the Constitution and defy illegal orders.
In a post on X, Hegseth said he had issued a formal letter of censure in response to what he described as Kelly’s “seditious statements.” Hegseth also stated that the Pentagon had initiated retirement-grade proceedings against Kelly, which could result in a grade reduction and a reduction in retirement pay.
Kelly, a retired astronaut and captain in the U.S. Navy, described Hegseth as Trump’s “minion” during an interview with “The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart on Monday. He also claimed that he was targeted due to his 25 years of military service.
“They’re trying to intimidate all of us,” Kelly said. “Don’t say something they don’t like. And especially for members of the military ― retired members like me ― keep your mouth shut or they’re coming after you. They’re gonna take away your pension.”
“But this is not just about me, right? And that’s why I’m not backing down from these guys,” he added.
While sharing details of the Pentagon’s letter of censure on the show, Stewart read what he called a “bonkers” line that highlighted how Kelly had knocked military leadership for firing admirals and generals and “surrounding themselves with ‘yes men.’”
“But you’re a United States senator, and if you go on the floor of the Senate and say, ‘The Secretary of Defense is surrounded by yes men,’ they can go, ‘That’s it! Your pension is gone and your rank is gone?’” Stewart asked.
“That is what they’re trying to do. I am going to do everything in my power not to allow them to do that,” said Kelly. His remarks were met with cheers and applause from the “Daily Show” audience.
Kelly also emphasized that Americans should know the federal government can’t stifle their freedom of speech.
“We have a right in our country to speak out about the government, to say things about the president,” Kelly said. “They can’t take that away from us.”
Watch the full interview with Sen. Mark Kelly on “The Daily Show” below:
