"I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies"

[Jrose]

'Senator Kelly responds to secretary Hegseth
Earlier, we brought you the news that the Department of Defense is investigating veteran and sitting Democratic senator Mark Kelly.

'This, after the Arizona lawmaker joined five other members of Congress in telling active duty military to “refuse illegal orders” in a social media video.

'For his part, Kelly has responded in a statement. “Secretary Hegseth’s tweet is the first I heard of this. I also saw the President’s posts saying I should be arrested, hanged, and put to death,” he wrote in a post on X. “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. I’ve given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies who care more about their own power than protecting the Constitution.”'

[Reported by Shrai Popat, The Guardian, Nov. 24, 2025]

Bravo to the brave and truly patriotic veterans who defend democracy and the Constitution, regardless of party.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

1. This 35 year Veteran stands with Sen. Mark Kelly, my Senator.

[FalloutShelter]

4. Mark Kelly is a true

American hero.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

7. He is highly regarded here in AZ by Democrats and Republicans alike,

Kegsbreath going after him is a HUGE miscalculation, but that's his usual self.

This is already badly backfiring on Kegsbreath and Pedonald.

[EndlessMaze]

23. Kegsbreath!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

[calimary]

48. It's a good one, isn't it!

There's a lot more where that came from. A LOT of great thinkers here!

And btw, Welcome to DU!

[Irish_Dem]

27. MCE what is your read of MAGA vet reaction?

Is this causing some of the vets to peel away from the MAGA cult?

[MarineCombatEngineer]

29. I haven't talked to any of my vet friends yet, but I'm pretty sure that they're just as outraged

as I, and those at DU, are.
I'm going to start reaching out to some of my contacts in the military to see which way the wind is blowing.

Right now I'm in N. Las Vegas because my truck is at the N. Las Vegas Peterbilt facility getting her B service and a deep cleaning until Friday when I pick her up.

[Irish_Dem]

30. Yes if you can get some intel on the Vet sentiment on this issue that would be very interesting.

I can tell you from my experience as military kid, anyone threatening rank and pensions as a means of control
and intimidation does not go over well.

And threatening to court martial a retired military officer and sitting US senator would not go over well at all.
No matter the party affiliation. This is hitting way too close to home.

If a high ranking military officer had committed a heinous crime, then hell yes.
Throw the damn book at him

But punishing him for telling the troops to follow the gd law?

Beyond the pale.

[ananda]

42. I second that motion.

I want to know what other vets think, also.

[calimary]

49. Third!

Indeed. I'd love to know what other vets think, and whether they feel as wronged and insulted as I do. And I've never served, but I would never make light of our men and women in uniform who've served honestly and with valor. The only thing worthy of them is a sincere and heartfelt "Thank You."

[Irish_Dem]

31. Sounds like you are doing Truck TDY over the holiday?

In Vegas.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

33. Yep, luckily I have a grand daughter who lives in Vegas and has

taken me in for Thanksgiving, so I do get a home cooked Thanksgiving meal.

[Irish_Dem]

34. Oh that is so great!

It is working out for you.

Have a great holiday!

[MarineCombatEngineer]

35. You also.

[Irish_Dem]

36. Thank you!

[calimary]

50. I sure hope so it backfires on those two!

ESPECIALLY on those two!

[AZ8theist]

45. Mark Kelly has more courage and fortitude in his fingernail clippings....

Than the drunk Hegscrap and draft dodging Private Bone Spurs have in their entire bloated bodies.

These two seem to be vying for the post war Mussolini legacy.

[MLWR]

11. I am not a veteran, but

I thank you for your service and join you standing with Sen. Mark Kelly.

[democrank]

14. Thank you for your service, Senator Kelly

and thank you for standing up for the rest of us.

[bluestarone]

41. Posters like YOU, make me proud to be an American, and a Democratic member of

Democratic Underground! We need each other so badly, while our country is being torn apart by Hitler types AGAIN! Never, Never thought our congress and judicial system would be broken as bad as it is today. to all DU'rs. Let's get these bastards in 26!!!

[rampartd]

52. standing with you, and with capt kelly.

this is the guy who can stand up to krasnov, and maybe lead the all hands effort to rebuild

[AllaN01Bear]

2. si. esp last paragraph.

[marble falls]

3. Why is the worst of the worst needing to investigate the best of the best?

[B.See]

21. To cover for their CRIMINALITY.

[marble falls]

47. And in the end, like with the so-called Comey and James indictments, there's no there, there. They got to understand ...

... close scrutiny can be as easily put on them.

[chouchou]

5. Much laughable from Trump, simply because, He brags about standing Tall..while playing Golf with Bone-Spurs.

Trump ruins always

[Aristus]

6. This Gulf War veteran wishes heartily that draft-dodger Trump, and all of his criminal, incompetent,

heartless, cruel, empty-headed, vile, and un-American cronies would go straight to Hell.

And stay there.

[Happy Hoosier]

8. He's a hero. NT

[MarineCombatEngineer]

9. That he is,

I wish I had accomplished just 1/2 of what this hero has accomplished.

[pfitz59]

10. Major Hegseth is out of his league.

Outranked and outclassed.

[democrank]

12. Neither Hegseth nor Trump are fit to polish Senator Kelly's shoes

Senator Kelly is an actual hero.

[debsy]

17. Beat Smegseth needs to be removed from the DOD.

What a POS.

[Ponietz]

20. Smegbreath works, too

[whopis01]

13. They tried to silence his wife with violence

There is no way on Earth that this man is going to back down in the face bullies.

[Bohunk68]

15. I've got 3 years on Putinfluffer,

and look forward to the day I can join the long lines to water his grave. Better check what's in Ivana's huge coffin that her cremains are in. Oh, I bet there is a lot of evidence.

[debsy]

16. Mark Kelly should be thanked for his service.

Beat Smegseth should be fired immediately for his disgusting, opprobrium. The guy is a disgrace to humanity, like the rest of the dumpster administration!

[MarineCombatEngineer]

18. He should be hauled in front of the House for article of impeachment,

then on to the Senate for trial, conviction and removal from office and barred from ever holding Fed. position again.

He should be, but we all know that ain't gonna happen.

[Seinan Sensei]

56. And divest Petey-boy of that damn Makeup Table

[electric_blue68]

19. Thank You Sen Mark Kelly Stay strong! I stand with "The " "Seditious Six" ".

I used double quote marks - on seditious six, bc Hegseth uses that term with the quote marks, then I use them to mock, be sarcastic about it.

Stay strong all of them.

Plus since I've followed the Space Program from a young age; the mid '60s, and some of the astronaughts - Astro Mark Kelly did a video from the ISS for U2's 360 tour played before Beautiful Day.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

22. My take on this is that they really are trying to silence him with threats and intimidation,

what these incompetent fools fail to recognize is that Sen. Kelly doesn't intimidate and is throwing it right back at them, along with Sen. Ruben Gallego.

Pedonald and Kegsbreath are in for a very rough ride if they follow through with their threats.

[Irish_Dem]

28. Yes this is Trump's goal. To threaten others into silence.

Dictators want a docile and compliant population.

[70sEraVet]

37. I think too, that they would regret trying the court-martial route

That would only serve to advertise the unconstitutionality of sending troops into US cities to do law-enforcement against wishes of state governors, and committing murder against citizens of another country without warrant or just cause.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

38. If not for a corrupt Supreme Court,

Pedonald would be sitting in prison now and this national nightmare would have never happened.

[ananda]

43. That is so great. Now then...

Let it spread to senators in other states as well.

[BidenRocks]

24. Thank you Captain Kelly!

I am sure all most veterans have your six!

[Mr.WeRP]

25. This former Army ground pounder stands with Senator Kelly

Fuck Trump. Fuck Hegseth. They are buddy fuckers and traitors.

[Arazi]

26. Every MOC needs to put out a similar statement reiterating the call to disobey illegal orders

Dems need to jump on this issue. Asap.

It’s a no brainer.

Go big on this messaging

[Auggie]

32. Was my choice for Kamala's running mate

[Codifer]

39. In a strange way,

Senator Kelly would be the prime target to someone (tsf) who wanted to prove to the world that he could take down Anyone.... perhaps even cause their death. That someone (tsf) would have to be demented enough to believe that he and his propaganda could be strong enough to wag THAT dog.

Senator Kelly is a person of honor and courageous service. He is a hero of such proportion that it would require a sin of equal proportion to bring him down.

It would seem that being on the Epstein list has failed to bring anyone down (with the exception of a prince).

Heck, he would have had to shag a goat in the town square... on Saturday.... Christmas Eve.

I am absolutely certain that Senator Kelly never did that.

Edit to add:

Tsf is trying to rule this country like it was a TV show he is producing but he has proven himself to be really dumb at it.

[NBachers]

40. Nothing talks like a money bomb! I started the ball rolling with $100 for Mark Kelly.

https://markkelly.com/get-involved/

[Upthevibe]

44. Kick. N/T

[mdbl]

46. Hegseth should be removed from his position

Talk about misconduct!

[sarchasm]

51. KnR

[dlk]

53. I am very grateful for Kelly's courage and service

A true patriot in these unprecedented times

[Clouds Passing]

54. Thank you for speaking out Senator Kelly

[Capperdan]

55. So keep going Mark

"This shitty excuse for a president needs to be removed from office now, including his whole cabinet" we in Congress demand he resign today. Pack your suitcase and give the peoples house back. Get the fuck out of the Capitol today!"

[Permanut]

57. Another Navy vet standing in solidarity with Senator Kelly.