# Sen. Mark Kelly fires back after Hegseth threatens his rank and retirement pay

- Link: https://www.widthness.com/sen-mark-kelly-fires-back-after-hegseth-threatens-his-rank-and-retirement-pay/
- Published: 2026-01-06T09:45:00-06:00
- Author: Curated by Theresa Wysocki

Photo: Mark Kelly & his wife, Gabrielle Giffords – August 9, 2024. Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr. CC BY-SA 2.0. Article by Quil Lawrence. NPR – January 5, 2026. Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly is pledging to fight back after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced he’s taking administrative action against Kelly. Hegseth claims that Kelly’s public statements, including a video message telling troops not to follow illegal orders, amount to sedition. In a statement on social media, the defense secretary said that he has initiated a formal 45-day process to reduce Kelly’s rank and retirement pay. […] Click here to view original web page at www.npr.org Related articles: Two GOP senators caution Hegseth on punishing Kelly – The Hill Hegseth’s move to demote Kelly raises legal questions – Axios Pentagon moves to punish senator for anti-Trump video – Politico