Mark Kelly sues Hegseth and Pentagon over possible retirement grade reduction

Published January 12, 2026 2:30pm ET



Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) filed a lawsuit Monday against War Secretary Pete Hegseth, the War Department, the Navy, and Navy Secretary John Phelan over the fallout from his participation in a video with other Democrats warning service members not to carry out illegal orders.

Specifically, the Arizona Democrat is looking for the court to rule that the secretary’s decision to start retirement grade reduction proceedings and the official censure letter are “unlawful and unconstitutional.”

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