Fact Check: Was Mark Kelly stripped of his rank after being found guilty by a court-martial?
WASHINGTON, DC: Months after controversy erupted over Democratic lawmakers urging the military and intelligence community to disobey illegal orders, a rumor began circulating on social media claiming that Senator Mark Kelly had been found guilty by a court-martial and stripped of his rank. The claim has sparked speculation online, prompting a fact-check.
A viral post alleged that Kelly was punished after being found guilty of insubordination and inciting insurrection by a general court-martial. However, there is no evidence that the retired Navy captain was recalled to active duty, court-martialed, or discharged from the military.
Claim: Mark Kelly was found guilty by a court-martial
According to a viral post on X that referred to the senator as an insurrectionist, Kelly had lost his battle against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
The post further claimed that Kelly would be stripped of his rank and pension after being found guilty of insubordination and inciting insurrection by a general court-martial.
It also stated that the senator was brought back into service for the proceeding and would now be dishonorably discharged.
The post ended by warning against overthrowing your own government.
The viral post had garnered more than a hundred thousand views as of this writing, with comments suggesting that many users believed the claim to be true.
Fact Check: No evidence supports claim that Mark Kelly was court-martialed
The claim is false, as there are no records of Kelly being recalled to military service, court-martialed, stripped of his rank, or dishonorably discharged. Kelly, a retired Navy captain and former astronaut, continues to serve as a US senator from Arizona.
Moreover, a federal judge blocked Hegseth from demoting Kelly from the military over his involvement in a video urging service members to refuse illegal orders.
If the claim were true, it would have been widely reported by major news organizations. However, a search for credible reports found no evidence of any such military proceedings involving Kelly.
A fact check by Grok also debunked the claim, stating, “The claims in the shared image are false. US Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a retired Navy captain and former astronaut, has not been recalled to active duty, court-martialed, stripped of rank or pension, or dishonorably discharged."
"No such proceedings involving Secretary of War Pete Hegseth have occurred.”
Democratic lawmakers urged troops to refuse illegal orders
In November 2025, six Democratic lawmakers released a video urging the military and intelligence community to stand by the Constitution and “refuse illegal orders.”
The video, shared by Senator Elissa Slotkin, featured fellow veterans including Kelly and Reps Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Chrissy Houlahan, and Maggie Goodlander.
The video was accompanied by a caption stating, “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."
