By Amr Gohar
Washington, D.C. Representative Ryan Zinke (R-MT), a former U.S. Navy SEAL, praised reports that the Department of War is moving to downgrade the military retirement rank and pay of Senator Mark Kelly following Kelly’s participation in a controversial video that critics say encouraged U.S. servicemembers to question and refuse orders from the Commander in Chief.
According to Zinke, the action follows what he described as a reckless and politically motivated video released by Kelly and several Democratic lawmakers, which warned service members to independently judge the legality of orders they receive. Opponents of the video argue that such messaging undermines military discipline and threatens the principle of civilian control of the armed forces.
In November, Zinke and 16 other veteran members of Congress introduced a resolution condemning the video, warning that it risked politicizing the U.S. military and weakening the chain of command. The resolution emphasized that lawful orders, military justice, and oversight must be addressed through established constitutional and legal processes rather than partisan appeals directed at active-duty personnel.
“Our resolution condemning Democrat lawmakers for releasing that seditious video was intended to hold them accountable for their actions,” Zinke said in a statement. “Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is taking the next necessary step in fulfilling his sworn duty to uphold discipline, the cornerstone of military service.”
Zinke further argued that retired officers remain subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, noting that Kelly, a retired Navy captain, is still bound by military standards of conduct.
“The Uniform Code of Military Justice holds soldiers to a higher standard,” Zinke said. “Advocating that troops must disobey orders deemed ‘illegal’ by a group of politicians is a clear violation.”
The reported move by the Department of War has intensified debate on Capitol Hill over the limits of political speech by former military officers serving in elected office and the extent to which retired service members remain accountable under military law.
Neither Senator Kelly nor his office immediately responded to requests for comment. The Department of War has not publicly confirmed the disciplinary action but is expected to brief lawmakers in the coming days.
The controversy is likely to fuel renewed scrutiny over civil-military relations and the role of elected officials in shaping public perceptions of military authority during a politically charged election year.
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