Pete Hegseth Gives Top Official Hard Deadline For Review Of Mark Kelly's 'Potentially Unlawful Comments'

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave a top military official a hard deadline to provide updates on an investigation on Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, one of six lawmakers who called on military and intelligence officials to refuse to follow unlawful orders.

In a social media publication, the department told Navy Secretary John Phelan until December 10 to provide updates on the investigation regarding "potentially unlawful comments made by CAPT (Ret) Mark E. Kelly."

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— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) November 25, 2025

"I am referring this, and any other related matters, for your review, consideration, and disposition as you deem appropriate. Please provide me a brief on the outcome of your review by no later than December 10, 2025," the document adds.

In this context, the FBI is also scheduling interviews with the six lawmakers who took part in the video. Fox News detailed on Tuesday that the agencies have contacted Capitol Police to schedule the interviews with Kelly, as well as Sen. Elissa Slotkin, and Reps. Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander, Chrissy Houlahan and Jason Crow.

All of them have military and intelligence backgrounds and said in the video that "our laws are clear, you can refuse illegal orders."

Mark Kelly has been particularly targeted, and Hegseth said he could be court martialed. Kelly has rejected the notion, claiming that Trump and other officials are inciting violence against him.

Speaking to Rachel Maddow on MS Now on Tuesday, Kelly was asked if the situation makes him stressed.

"I've had a missile blow up next to my airplane. I've been nearly shot down multiple times. I've flown a rocket ship into space 4 times built by the lowest bidder. And my wife, Gabby Giffords, meeting with her constituents, shot in the head. Six people killed around her, a horrific thing. She spent six months in the hospital. We know what political violence is and we know what causes it too, The statements that Donald Trump made incites others," Kelly said.

He went on to note that Trump has "millions of supporters" and "people listen to what he says," so he "should be careful with his words." "I'm not going to be silenced here. Is it stressful? I've been stressed by things more important than Trump trying to intimidate me into shutting my mouth," Kelly added.

• Steve Bannon Urges Trump Admin To Arrest Mark Kelly Over Comments To Military Members: 'Throw Him In Prison By Monday'
• Mark Kelly Tells Kimmel Pete Hegseth Is Carrying Out Trump's 'Playbook of Authoritarianism': How Democracies Die'

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