Sen. Mark Kelly sues Hegseth, Pentagon over attempt to cut retirement rank and pay

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., has filed a federal lawsuit against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Pentagon, seeking to stop what he calls an unprecedented and unconstitutional effort to punish him by lowering his military retirement rank and pension. Kelly, a retired Navy captain, argues the administration’s actions amount to retaliation for protected political speech. The dispute stems from a video released last November in which Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers with military or intelligence backgrounds urged active-duty personnel to “refuse illegal orders.” The group did not point to specific directives but framed the message as a reminder