The US military has said it is considering a court-martial against Democratic senator and former top astronaut Mark Kelly for appearing in a video urging troops to refuse unlawful orders from the Trump administration.
In a statement on social media, the Pentagon threatened to call Kelly, who is retired from the military, back to active duty in order to face a court-martial under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Officials indicated that the senator may have undermined the "loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the armed forces," pointing to laws barring interference in military cohesion.
"A thorough review of these allegations has been initiated to determine further actions, which may include recall to active duty for court-martial proceedings or administrative measures," the Pentagon said.
The Pentagon's probe marks an extraordinary escalation in the Trump administration backlash against six Democrats with military or intelligence service backgrounds who made the viral video.
Kelly, a senator in Arizona, was a decorated Navy combat pilot and went to space on several missions, including as commander of Space Shuttle Endeavour's final flight.
It is highly unusual for the Pentagon — long allergic to overt politics until President Donald Trump's return to power — to publicly threaten a sitting member of Congress.
The video posted on social media on Friday called on the military to "refuse illegal orders" and featured Kelly alongside Michigan's Elissa Slotkin, along with Jason Crow of Colorado, Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania and Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire.
"The video made by the 'Seditious Six' was despicable, reckless, and false," Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said on X.
"Encouraging our warriors to ignore the orders of their Commanders undermines every aspect of 'good order and discipline.'"
'I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies'
Kelly said on Monday he would not be intimidated by the Pentagon's threat to recall him to active duty status in order to prosecute him over allegations of misconduct.
"When I was 22 years old, I commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy and swore an oath to the Constitution," Kelly said in a statement.
"I upheld that oath through flight school, multiple deployments on the USS Midway, 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm, test pilot school, four space shuttle flights at NASA, and every day since I retired — which I did after my wife Gabby was shot in the head while serving her constituents."
He added that Hegseth’s social media post "is the first I heard" of the Pentagon’s investigation. I also saw the President’s posts saying I should be arrested, hanged, and put to death," Kelly said.
"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won’t work," Kelly added. "I’ve given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies who care more about their own power than protecting the Constitution."
Trump initially accused the group of "seditious behaviour, punishable by death." At the weekend, he posted a new statement calling for jail terms.
Democrats slammed the president's comments as "absolutely vile" threats against the six senators and representatives.
Trump took to social media on Saturday night, writing in an all-caps rant that the "the traitors that told the military to disobey my orders should be in jail right now, not roaming the fake news networks trying to explain that what they said was ok."
The Democrats did not specify the orders to which they were referring, but Trump has ordered the National Guard into multiple US cities, in many cases against the wishes of local officials, in a bid to bring alleged rampant unrest under control.
Democrats in Congress have been sharply critical of Trump's military strikes on suspected drug traffickers in the southern Caribbean and the Pacific that have killed over 80 people, questioning their legality.
They have also raised concerns that Trump may launch a war against Venezuela.
