January 14th, 2026
The Veterans and Military Families Council of the Democratic National Committee strongly condemns Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for threatening to strip Senator Mark Kelly of his earned military retirement benefits based on a reckless and false accusation of treason.
As a retired U.S. Navy Captain, Senator Kelly did exactly what generations of noncommissioned officers, officers, and judge advocates have required of service members: he reminded them of their oath to the Constitution. Calling that duty “treason” is a lie. Threatening to revoke a veteran’s retirement pay for honoring that oath is dangerous, unlawful in spirit, and corrosive to the professionalism of our armed forces. The Secretary of Defense does not get to rewrite military law or punish veterans for telling the truth.
Members of the U.S. military swear an oath to the Constitution – not to a president, not to a political party, and not to an individual. That principle is foundational to civilian control of the military and essential to maintaining an apolitical, honorable force.
Military retirement pay is not a privilege. It is earned through years of sacrifice: repeated deployments, time away from family, and real risk to life and limb. Weaponizing those earned benefits for political retaliation crosses a line that should never be crossed in a democracy.
We stand with retired Captain and Senator Mark Kelly, and with every service member who takes their oath seriously. Using the military as a tool for political payback dishonors the uniform and undermines the very Constitution our service members are sworn to defend. Plain and simple.
Rachel Vindman, Co-Chair
Joe Stutler, Co-Chair