War Secretary Pete Hegseth did not exactly mince words this week. And honestly, when members of Congress put out a video encouraging U.S. service members to second‑guess the Commander in Chief’s orders, you can’t really blame him. In a sharply worded post on X, Hegseth blasted six Democrat lawmakers for their now‑viral video urging troops to “consider” whether orders from President Donald Trump were lawful — a message that, intentionally or not, walked right up to the line of encouraging insubordination in the ranks.
How is this possible?
BREAKING: Elected Democrats just released a video encouraging members of the military to commit treason and DEFY orders from Trump and Hegseth.@libsoftiktok pic.twitter.com/29hpziQ2iC
— Melissa Redpill – Freedom Force (@MelissaRedpill) November 19, 2025
Hegseth went a step further and dubbed the group the “Seditious Six,” which, you have to admit, is a nickname that’s probably going to follow these lawmakers around for a while. The video featured Sen. Elissa Slotkin, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, Rep. Maggie Goodlander, Rep. Jason Crow, Sen. Mark Kelly, and another lawmaker whose own communications team is probably still begging him to stop talking. Slotkin is former CIA, while the others have military backgrounds — except only one of them, Kelly, is actually still subject to military discipline.
That little detail ended up being the key to everything.
According to Hegseth, five of the six lawmakers in the video fall entirely outside the War Department’s jurisdiction. They’re either former military without retired status or CIA. But Mark Kelly — a retired Navy commander who proudly references his service any chance he gets — is still subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. And the second he used his military rank and experience to deliver a message directly to troops, well, he walked himself right into an entirely different legal category.
Hegseth didn’t hold back. “The video made by the ‘Seditious Six’ was despicable, reckless, and false,” he wrote. “Encouraging our warriors to ignore the orders of their Commanders undermines every aspect of good order and discipline.” He also said Kelly’s conduct “brings discredit upon the armed forces” — which, for a military retiree, is basically a flashing neon sign that says: you’re about to get a call from the JAG Corps.
The video made by the “Seditious Six” was despicable, reckless, and false. Encouraging our warriors to ignore the orders of their Commanders undermines every aspect of “good order and discipline.” Their foolish screed sows doubt and confusion — which only puts our warriors in… https://t.co/UvLXChZnmF
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) November 24, 2025
The Department of War had already issued a formal statement earlier in the week confirming that it is reviewing allegations against Kelly’s conduct. And yes — retirees can still face military punishment. This surprises a lot of people, but it’s not new. Under the UCMJ, retirees remain subject to military law, especially for actions that could impact morale, loyalty, or the chain of command. Federal laws, including 18 U.S.C. § 2387, also prohibit encouraging troops to undermine or resist authority. The Department made it clear: if any violations occurred, they will be handled through the appropriate legal channels.
In other words, this isn’t a PR slap on the wrist or a “don’t do that again” memo. Kelly could actually face consequences.
It’s a remarkable moment, not only because a sitting senator could be disciplined under military law, but because of what it says about the political climate. The six lawmakers seemed to think signaling distrust of the president’s authority to the military was a bold stand for democracy. The War Department, on the other hand, appears to be saying: “No, actually, this is how you stir up chaos and confusion inside the ranks.”
And with President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance already facing plenty of pushback from hostile lawmakers, this video landed like gasoline on a brushfire.
Hegseth’s message was crystal clear: if you’re going to call on troops to scrutinize their orders, you’d better be absolutely certain you’re not breaking the law. And you definitely shouldn’t be doing it while flashing your Navy credentials like a backstage pass.
⚠️ SEDITIOUS PLOT: Dem Congressmen urging military & CIA to shatter chain of command against Trump! Devious coup seeds in Pentagon & Langley. CIA meddled in elections before – “We’ve got your back” for more! #Sedition #MAGApic.twitter.com/oQeQD9C9DE
— Bill Mitchell (@mitchellvii) November 21, 2025
Whether Kelly ends up facing formal discipline remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure — nobody’s going to forget the name “Seditious Six” anytime soon.
