JUST IN: Mark Kelly Torches Trump, Hegseth After Appearing In Court Over Illegal Orders Video

[0:00] Thank you everybody for being here. Appreciate the veterans who have my back [0:06] from all of our services. But I want to start here by reminding folks how we got [0:13] here. Last year I said something that the president didn't like. It was pretty [0:22] simple then and it still is. That service members need to follow the law. What I [0:30] said was a true and accurate statement of the law. It's literally written into [0:38] the DOD's law of war manual. That's the same law that I was trained to follow [0:46] and that these veterans standing with me today were trained to follow. And it's [0:54] the same law that every veteran is trained to follow. And in response the [1:03] president said I should be prosecuted and hanged. Then he tried to throw me in [1:08] jail and then Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, tried to censure me, demote me [1:16] and take away my pension. All for something I said that I had the right to [1:23] say as a senator, as a veteran, but most importantly as an American. But we all [1:33] understand that this is not about me. They're trying to send a message to other [1:39] retired veterans and really to all of us. If you say something that the president [1:47] or this administration does not like, they're gonna come after you. The [1:54] president is trying to silence us. And I can't think of anything that's more [2:01] un-American. Just like these folks behind me, I signed up to serve our country and [2:09] protect our freedoms, including the freedom of speech. Most of us joined to be [2:18] part of something bigger than ourselves, to protect and serve the country we love. I know [2:29] Donald Trump doesn't understand that. And he doesn't understand us. And sadly, it [2:36] seems that Pete Hegseth doesn't understand that either. Because even after a federal [2:45] judge ruled earlier this year that his attempts to silence me were [2:50] unconstitutional, he wouldn't stop. And today, this administration argued in federal [2:59] court, that not only do I not have the same freedom of speech rights as other Americans, [3:09] but that the millions of other retired veterans across the country don't either, including [3:17] many of the individuals standing besides me today. According to them, anytime a retired [3:26] veteran says something that the Secretary of Defense doesn't like, they can be punished. So [3:32] the people who have given the most in service to this country wouldn't be free to say what [3:40] they believe. It's absurd and it's outrageous. It is an outrageous violation of our constitutional [3:50] rights. One of our most fundamental rights is the right to speak out about the government. [4:01] It's the right that guarantees all others. And it's how we hold our government accountable. [4:10] And it's especially, especially important right now. Donald Trump is two months into a war with [4:20] Iran that he started without a strategic goal. 13 Americans have died. The same Iranian regime [4:31] is in charge and their enriched uranium is still in their possession. The Strait of Hormuz [4:39] is now closed and Americans are suffering with skyrocketing gas prices. And without any explanation [4:48] from this president of what this war is trying to achieve, who better to speak out and share [4:57] their perspective than the people who served. Retired military members who understand the risks [5:07] and sacrifice of sending brave Americans into combat. Who understand how to use combat power [5:17] but also understand its limitations. And also who have seen the mistakes of past administrations [5:28] that thought wars could be fast and simple only to get bogged down for years or for decades. Retired veterans [5:39] have always been an important part of our democracy. And that's exactly why I am not backing down. [5:49] After 25 years in the Navy, I've given too much to this country to be silenced by an administration [6:04] that does not want to be held accountable. So today, this was a day in court, not just for [6:13] me, but for the First Amendment rights of millions of us. This administration has bullied and coerced [6:24] the press, private companies and universities. The list goes on. But in this case, the president [6:33] and the secretary of defense picked the wrong guy. Because when it comes to our most fundamental [6:42] rights, I will not back down. Given what's at stake, I appreciate the judges quick and [6:51] careful consideration in this case. We have the Constitution and the law on our side. And [6:59] I've never been more confident than I am today standing here with my wife Gabby, my daughter [7:05] Claire, and the guy who I flew almost all my combat missions with, Paul Fujimora. But also [7:11] with these brave men and women who served our country. Don't give up the ship.