DOW Moves to Punish Senator Featured in Reckless Video Targeting U.S. Troops Following Zinke’s Resolution

Washington, D.C. – Today, Western Montana Congressman and former U.S. Navy SEAL Ryan Zinke praised reports that the Department of War is moving to downgrade Sen. Mark Kelly’s military retirement rank and pay following his participation in a video encouraging servicemembers to independently judge and refuse orders from the Commander in Chief.

In November, Congressman Zinke and 16 other veteran lawmakers introduced a resolution condemning the video released by Sen. Kelly and several Democratic members of Congress, warning that it undermined military discipline and risked politicizing the armed forces. The resolution emphasized that lawful orders, military justice, and civilian control of the military must be handled through established legal and constitutional processes and not through partisan messaging.

“Our resolution condemning Democrat lawmakers for releasing that seditious video was intended to hold them accountable for their actions. Secretary of War Hegseth is taking the next necessary step fulfilling his sworn duty to uphold discipline, the cornerstone of military service,” said Zinke. “The Uniform Code of Military Justice holds soldiers to a higher standard, and individuals like retired Navy Captain Kelly remain subject to it. Advocating that troops must disobey orders deemed ‘illegal’ by the ‘Seditious Six’ is a clear violation. Well done, Secretary Hegseth.”

Read Zinke’s full resolution here.

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