Hegseth seeks to reduce Sen. Kelly's Navy retirement pay

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Editor's note: This story has been updated since its initial publication to include a comment from the White House.

(The Center Square) – Secretary of War Pete Hegseth plans to reduce the Navy retirement pay for U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, following Kelly’s participation in a video telling members of the military to “refuse illegal orders.”

"These actions are based on Captain Kelly's public statements from June through December 2025 in which he characterized lawful military operations as illegal and counseled members of the Armed Forces to refuse lawful orders," Hegseth said in a post Monday on X.

Kelly said he will fight the pay cut — "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.”

Hegseth accused Kelly, a retired Navy combat pilot, of “seditious statements” and a “pattern of reckless misconduct.”

The secretary said the Department of War was taking administrative action to reduce Kelly's rank at retirement, which would also mean a cut in pay. Hegseth added he issued a formal letter of censure, which will be placed in Kelly’s permanent military personnel file.

According to media reports, Kelly’s rank would decrease from captain to commander, meaning his retirement pay would fall from roughly $6,000 a month to approximately $5,000 month. The Center Square Tuesday asked the Pentagon about this detail and others about Kelly and was told there would be no comment beyond Hegseth’s post on X.

“Six weeks ago, Senator Mark Kelly — and five other members of Congress — released a reckless and seditious video that was clearly intended to undermine good order and military discipline," Hegseth wrote.

The secretary was referring to a video in which the lawmakers told service members to “refuse illegal orders.”

Hegseth previously noted four of the lawmakers are former, but not retired, military service members. He said that leaves Kelly as the only one still subject to the U.S. Code of Military Justice. 

Kelly's remarks from June through December 2025 were seditious and violated the code's Articles 133  and 134, Hegseth said in Monday's post.

“As a retired Navy Captain who is still receiving a military pension, Captain Kelly knows he is still accountable to military justice," Hegseth said. "And the Department of War — and the American people — expect justice.”

After Hegseth’s announcement, Kelly, a former astronaut, said he never imagined such an action would be taken against him.

“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,” Kelly said in a statement Monday. “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,” Kelly said. “I got shot at. I missed holidays and birthdays."

He continued: “Generations of servicemembers have made these same patriotic sacrifices for this country, earning the respect, appreciation, and rank they deserve."

Kelly noted he commanded a space shuttle mission while his wife, former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Arizona, recovered from a gunshot wound to her head during a shooting that killed six people and injured 12 others on Jan. 8, 2011, at a constituent event in the Tucson area.

The Center Square reached out to Kelly’s press office for further comment, but did not get a response.

Hegseth said Kelly has been provided a notice for the action and has 30 days to submit a response. He said the retirement grade determination process will be completed in 45 days.

“Captain Kelly’s status as a sitting United States Senator does not exempt him from accountability, and further violations could result in further action,” Hegseth warned on X.

The Center Square reached out Tuesday to the White House, which commented on Kelly.

"Mark Kelly sowed doubt in a clear chain of command, which is reckless, dangerous, and deeply irresponsible for an elected official," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told The Center Square in an email. "Actions have consequences, and, as Secretary Hegseth said, Kelly’s status as a sitting U.S. senator does not exempt him from accountability.”