Sen. Mark Kelly Sues Pentagon After Hegseth Moves to Strip His Military Rank

WASHINGTON, D.C. — January 12, 2026 — U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) filed a federal lawsuit Monday against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Department of Defense, seeking to halt a disciplinary process that could strip him of his retired Navy rank and reduce his military pension.

The lawsuit challenges a rare Pentagon action known as a retireme…