Former military leaders have come out in support of Senator Mark Kelly’s (D-AZ) lawsuit against War Secretary Pete Hegseth, arguing that the Trump administration’s actions against the senator violate the First Amendment.
The 41 individuals, which includes retired four-star generals, admirals, and service secretaries, filed a brief, stating, “Disciplining Senator Kelly for engaging in protected, political speech violates the First Amendment and, if permitted to stand, would chill public participation by veterans around the country.”
“Diverse viewpoints are critical to a healthy and free marketplace of ideas, and silencing veteran voices would be especially harmful — depriving the public of experienced and informed views on critical matters of national security,” the filing says, adding, “[T]he attempt to punish Senator Kelly suggests that public expressions of disagreement with the Secretary—even if made in good faith and supported factually invite possible retaliation.”
In announcing his lawsuit against Hegseth, Kelly wrote on X, “Pete Hegseth is coming after what I earned through my twenty-five years of military service, in violation of my rights as an American, as a retired veteran, and as a United States Senator whose job is to hold him—and this or any administration—accountable.”
“His unconstitutional crusade against me sends a chilling message to every retired member of the military: if you speak out and say something that the President or Secretary of Defense doesn’t like, you will be censured, threatened with demotion, or even prosecuted,” Kelly added.
The lawsuits stem from Kelly’s involvement in a video directing troops not to follow what he claimed were “illegal orders” from President Trump.
