Defense Secretary Hegseth Escalates Legal Battle to Demote Senator Kelly

Washington D.C., Thursday, 26 February 2026.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has appealed a federal court order preventing the Pentagon from demoting Senator Mark Kelly. This escalation follows a grand jury’s refusal to indict Kelly for a video advising troops to disobey illegal orders, intensifying the constitutional standoff regarding the free speech rights of retired military officers.