Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona criticized Republican lawmakers for their silence regarding President Trump's comments suggesting capital punishment for a group of Democratic members of Congress accused of sedition. Kelly stated that he had heard "basically crickets" from his GOP colleagues.
The Trump administration escalated its rhetoric, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth branding the Democratic group, which included Kelly, as "the Seditious Six" and announcing an investigation into Kelly, a retired Navy captain, for a potential breach of military justice codes. However, one Republican lawmaker, Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska, publicly spoke out against the administration's actions.
Bacon described the Pentagon's response as "Amateur hour" and deemed the threats of sedition charges and courts-martial as "crazy," urging for "common sense and restraint." He acknowledged that the Democrats' video, which called on servicemembers to resist "illegal orders," was "unnecessary and foolish" but maintained it was not illegal. Bacon, known for his centrist stance within the Republican party, has a history of diverging from Trump's agenda.
He has previously called for Hegseth's resignation and criticized Trump's handling of the Ukraine war. Bacon has also announced he will not seek re-election in 2026.
Several former Republican lawmakers also voiced their opposition to the administration's accusations. Former Senator Jeff Flake defended Senator Kelly, calling him a "good man" who serves honorably.
Former Representative Ron Paul asserted that military personnel have a duty to disregard unlawful orders, a point he believes is a worthy debate. Former Representative Adam Kinzinger suggested the Defense Department's investigation into Kelly would not end as anticipated, and former Representative Justin Amash dismissed the legal basis for any prosecution, characterizing the administration's actions as "performative nonsense."
