BACKGROUND.
A few weeks ago Sen Kelly and five other members of Congress — all of whom are former or retired military — made a video reminding military personnel that they are not required to obey illegal orders.
Pete Hegseth, who is the most unqualified person to ever hold a senior government position, got his panties in a wad and threatened to punish Kelly. Why he focused on Kelly is a mystery but it doesn’t matter because Hegseth is an ignorant, dumb as dirt, cowardly piece of shit.
Now, Hegseth announced that the Dept of Defense will reduce the amount of pension the Kelly receives as a retired Navy Captain (O-6). Here is Kelly’s statement.
Sen. Mark Kelly: “Nothing more un-American”
Senator Mark Kelly @SenMarkKelly
Over twenty-five years in the U.S. Navy, thirty-nine combat missions, and four missions to space, I risked my life for this country and to defend our Constitution – including the First Amendment rights of every American to speak out. I never expected that the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense would attack me for doing exactly that.My rank and retirement are things that I earned through my service and sacrifice for this country. I got shot at. I missed holidays and birthdays. I commanded a space shuttle mission while my wife Gabby recovered from a gunshot wound to the head– all while proudly wearing the American flag on my shoulder. Generations of servicemembers have made these same patriotic sacrifices for this country, earning the respect, appreciation, and rank they deserve.
Pete Hegseth wants to send the message to every single retired servicemember that if they say something he or Donald Trump doesn’t like, they will come after them the same way. It’s outrageous and it is wrong. There is nothing more un-American than that.
If Pete Hegseth, the most unqualified Secretary of Defense in our country’s history, thinks he can intimidate me with a censure or threats to demote me or prosecute me, he still doesn’t get it. I will fight this with everything I’ve got — not for myself, but to send a message back that Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump don’t get to decide what Americans in this country get to say about their government.
11:33 AM · Jan 5, 2026
Meanwhile, there’s this:
