Chicago – May 11, 2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has called for another Pentagon investigation into Senator Mark Kelly, accusing the Arizona Democrat of possibly disclosing classified information about U.S. weapons stockpiles during a recent television interview. Hegseth made the request Sunday, citing Kelly’s remarks on CBS’s Face the Nation about depleted U.S. munitions amid the ongoing conflict with Iran and questioned whether the senator violated his military oath for a second time.
This marks the second Pentagon‑led review triggered by Hegseth, following an earlier probe launched last year after Kelly and several Democratic senators urged service members to refuse what they labeled “illegal” orders from the Trump administration. Kelly, a retired Navy captain and former astronaut, has repeatedly denied breaking any laws and framed his comments as legitimate public‑interest concerns over military readiness and transparency.
Hegseth’s renewed push comes as a federal appeals court appears poised to reject his earlier effort to punish Kelly administratively, reigniting a sharp political clash over the boundaries of congressional speech and the Pentagon’s authority over retired officers.
