Sen. Mark Kelly is taking political flak at point-blank range after the Pentagon opened a formal investigation into his role in a video urging military and intelligence personnel to disobey “illegal orders” from the Trump administration.
Kelly’s “seditious” call is now dragging an old China controversy back into the spotlight.
The retired Navy captain and Arizona Democrat is one of six lawmakers under review after appearing in the November video, which directly addresses active-duty troops and tells them to resist commands they believe cross constitutional lines. The message includes the stark warning, “Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blasted the stunt, saying, “It brings discredit upon the armed forces and will be addressed appropriately.” Investigators are weighing whether the lawmakers violated the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which still applies to retired service members.
Trump exploded on Truth Social in response, labeling the group “TRAITORS” and reposting a declaration that they are engaging in “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH.” While the press dismissed the comments as typical Trump showmanship, the uproar inside the military community was far more serious, as any suggestion of ignoring orders is treated as radioactive.
As the sedition flap consumes Washington, Kelly is also getting hammered over a familiar headache: his past role as a cofounder of World View Enterprises, a high-altitude balloon company that raised $8.1 million from Tencent, the Chinese tech titan often linked to the CCP.
The story has reemerged with new force as critics question whether a senator telling troops to defy the chain of command should also have to answer for foreign money tied to a surveillance balloon outfit.
A widely shared post reignited the attacks: “Seditious Mark Kelly ‘started spy balloon company funded by China.’ He’s not for America or Americans.” World View insists it never exported sensitive technology, but national security experts warn that foreign investment alone can open the door to espionage risks. Kelly distanced himself from the firm long ago, but the China connection now hangs over him like a political storm cloud.
Kelly’s defenders say the lawmakers in the video were simply reminding service members of their constitutional obligations. Sen. Ruben Gallego went so far as to fire back with profanity that Republicans called disgraceful conduct for a U.S. senator. CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin argued the group “erected a straw man,” noting that no illegal orders had been issued at all.
Critics also point out that both Kelly and Gallego voted against paying U.S. troops during the October 2025 government shutdown, a voting record that undercuts their sudden claims of protecting military ethics. Sen. John Fetterman sided with troop pay, leaving Kelly open to more fire.
Conservatives say the combination is damning: a senator under Pentagon investigation for urging potential insubordination, while an old China-linked balloon deal resurfaces to undercut his national security credentials.
Glenn Beck warned on his radio show that the lawmakers crossed a line that should never be blurred. “Once the military begins to decide on its own which orders are legitimate… you no longer have a republic,” he said, calling the video a dangerous shift with long-term consequences.
