WASHINGTON — (BrooklandNews.com) — Nov. 26, 2025 — The Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has called for a “brief” on Senator Mark Kelly, after he and five other members of Congress posted a viral “Don’t Give Up the Ship” video.

A post from what the Trump administration informally calls the Department of War X (Twitter) page shows a memo sent to John Phelan, the Secretary of the Navy, from Hegseth asking Phelan to”provide me a brief on the outcome of your review.”

The review is “regarding potentially unlawful comments made by CAPT (Ret) Mark E. Kelly in a public video.”

The video, posted on TikTok, features 8 members of Congress calling on active military to refuse orders that defy the Constitution. Kelly, a Democratic senator representing Arizona, said in the video, “You can refuse illegal orders.”

@senateinsession

Trump is calling for the HANGING of Democratic lawmakers because of this video. We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community. The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution. Don’t give up the ship.

♬ original sound – senateinsession


The president wrote in a Truth Social post Thursday morning, linking to a Washington Examiner article about the video: “It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL. Their words cannot be allowed to stand — We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET.”

He also called for calling for them to “be arrested and put on trial” for their behavior.

Sen. Kelly replied to President Trump: “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.”

Sen. Mark Kelly is a former Navy combat pilot who flew 39 missions during the Gulf War and later served as a NASA astronaut. His military and aviation experience includes more than 5,000 flight hours and hundreds of carrier landings. In the Senate, Kelly serves on the Armed Services Committee, where he is the ranking member of the Airland Subcommittee, a panel that oversees Army and Air Force programs and equipment. He also serves on the Intelligence Committee and the Environment and Public Works Committee. His assignments align with his background in defense, national security and aerospace operations.