Kelly: “He tried to throw me in jail”

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) spoke to reporters Thursday after a legal proceeding tied to his lawsuit against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the Pentagon's efforts to punish him for social media comments advising service members not to follow illegal orders.

"Last year, I said something that the president didn't like … That service members need to follow the law," Sen. Kelly said. "The president said I should be prosecuted and hanged. Then he tried to throw me in jail."

Sen. Kelly, a retired Navy captain and former NASA astronaut, appeared in the video late last year alongside other Democratic lawmakers with military and intelligence backgrounds, including Sen. Elissa Slotkin (MI) and Rep. Jason Crow (CO).

Soon after, President Trump posted on Truth Social calling for their prosecution and accusing the lawmakers of committing "illegal sedition." Secretary Hegseth later moved to censure Sen. Kelly, reduce his Navy retirement rank, and revoke his military pension. A federal judge in Washington, DC, blocked those actions, and the Pentagon is appealing the ruling.

"I signed up to serve our country and protect our freedoms, including the freedom of speech," Sen. Kelly said. "Most of us joined to be part of something bigger than ourselves — to protect and serve the country we love. I know Donald Trump doesn't understand, and he doesn't understand us. And sadly, it seems that Pete Hegseth doesn't understand that either."

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