Arizona's Sen. Kelly calls Pentagon investigation of him 'so ridiculous'

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly is firing back at Trump administration efforts to investigate his participation in a now viral video, in which he and five other Democratic lawmakers urged U.S. servicemembers to disobey illegal orders.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Monday that the Pentagon is investigating Kelly, a retired Navy captain, for possible breaches of military law.

Kelly had this response Tuesday in an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live":

"Which is kind of wild because we recited something in the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and he’s going to prosecute me under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for reciting the Code of Military Justice. It is so ridiculous."

Democratic lawmakers who appeared in the video say the FBI has contacted them to begin scheduling interviews, signaling a possible inquiry into the matter.

It would mark the second investigation tied to the video, coming a day after the Pentagon said it was reviewing Kelly over potential violations of military law. The FBI and Pentagon actions come after President Donald Trump accused the lawmakers of sedition and said it is “punishable by DEATH” in a social media post.

Together, the inquiries mark an extraordinary escalation for federal law enforcement and military institutions that traditionally steer clear of partisan clashes. They also underscore the administration’s willingness to push legal limits against its critics, even when they are sitting members of Congress. Lawmakers in the video urge troops to reject any illegal orders from their superiors, something they are already duty-bound to do.

“President Trump is using the FBI as a tool to intimidate and harass Members of Congress,” a group of four Democratic House members said in a statement Tuesday. “Yesterday, the FBI contacted the House and Senate Sergeants at Arms requesting interviews.”