Pete Hegseth Appeals Order Blocking Sen. Mark Kelly's Punishment For Call To Resist Unlawful Orders

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Huff Post/AP

Feb 25, 2026, 11:28 AM EST


WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is appealing a judge’s order that blocks him from punishing Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, a former Navy pilot, for participating in a video that called on troops to resist unlawful orders, according to a court filing on Tuesday.

Justice Department officials filed a notice that they wil ask a panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review the Feb. 12 ruling by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon.

Kelly, who represents Arizona, said in a social media post that the only reason for Hegseth to appeal is to “keep trampling on the free speech rights of retired veterans and silence dissent.”

“These guys don’t know when to quit,” Kelly wrote on his X account.

Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pete-hegseth-appeals-order-blocking-mark-kellys-punishment_n_699f20ede4b0ef1afcc00575?origin=home-zone-d-unit

---

Link to tweet

Senator Mark Kelly
@SenMarkKelly
·
Follow
These guys don’t know when to quit. A federal judge told Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth that they violated my constitutional rights and chilled the free speech of millions of retired veterans. There is only one reason to appeal that ruling: to keep trampling on the free speech Show more
POLITICO
@politico
Hegseth revives push to punish Sen. Mark Kelly http://dlvr.it/TR83Cm
6:27 PM · Feb 24, 2026

[tanyev]

1. So....what Pete's saying is that Trump has given unlawful orders, amirite?

🤨

[JokeHer]

2. Give it up Kegseth

What a vile piece of trash… just keep on LOSING!!!!

[spooky3]

3. It pisses me off that they have unlimited $ from taxpayers to pursue

Last edited Wed Feb 25, 2026, 08:35 PM - Edit history (1)

Meritless and harmful charges.

[Lovie777]

4. Enough of this shit................

[mdbl]

5. He must have fallen off the wagon

Or hasn't he heard the lead prosecutor has dropped the case? What an asshat.

[artemisia1]

9. He has never been on the wagon... /nt

[Skittles]

10. like, Trump, he doesn't give a fuck about the law

fascist thugs

[Martin68]

6. Hegseth is just digging himself deeper into his hole - as are many of Trump's minions.

[Norrrm]

7. Generals, admirals, and other high-ranking officers must feel let down to toe the line to this drunken minor major.

Generals, admirals, and other high-ranking officers must feel let down to toe the line to this drunken minor major.

Hegseth DUI/DEI hire - the minor major

[Jack Valentino]

8. Pete---- go have another drink and just SHUT THE FUCK UP. You LOST

because you never had a case. End of story.

[Skittles]

11. he's appealing hoping a Trump whore will respond

you know, because they're not allowed to go full-blown authoritarian yet