Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) called the Pentagon’s investigation into his seatmate, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), “f***ing insane” in a statement.
The Department of War announced a “thorough review” of Kelly, a retired naval officer, on Monday following his participation in a video with six other Democratic lawmakers in which they encouraged service members to disobey unspecified “illegal orders.” In response to the War Department’s announced investigation into Kelly, Gallego took to X to defend his fellow Arizona senator.
“Mark Kelly is a patriot. There’s no reason why they’re going after him. He was doing his duty and just reminding people about their rights as service members. Secretary Hegseth, all these guys, f*** you guys; you’re not gonna be able to scare us,” Gallego said, quoting the Pentagon’s announcement with “F*** you and your investigation.”
Kelly and fellow Democratic veterans Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Reps. Jason Crow (D-CO), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) each made headlines last week for the videom in which they urged military members to refuse illegal orders and said there are domestic “threats to our Constitution.”
President Donald Trump pounced on the move, blasting the video on Truth Social as “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” Trump’s post led to blowback from lawmakers who condemned the violent rhetoric.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth called the Democratic lawmakers who made the video the “Seditious Six” on Monday. Hegseth called the video “despicable, reckless, and false” and underscored that the Department would be investigating Kelly.
“As was announced, the Department is reviewing his statements and actions, which were addressed directly to all troops while explicitly using his rank and service affiliation—lending the appearance of authority to his words,” Hegseth said.
Kelly circled back to his commitment to service, writing on X that he would not be “intimidated” by the investigation.
“I swore an oath to the Constitution in 1986. I’ve upheld it through 25 years of service and every day since I retired. If Trump’s trying to intimidate me, it won’t work. I’ve given too much to our country to be silenced by bullies who care more about power than the Constitution,” Kelly wrote on X.
PENTAGON ANNOUNCES ‘THOROUGH REVIEW’ INTO MARK KELLY OVER ‘ILLEGAL ORDERS’ VIDEO
In his defense of Kelly, Gallego dissed the investigation in his series of X posts and ripped Hegseth in an appearance on CNN.
“You will never, ever even be half the man that Sen. Kelly is. You, sir, are a coward. And the fact that you are following this order from the president shows how big of a coward you are,” Gallego said.