Reed Urges Court to Uphold Free Speech for All Americans in Critical Case of Kelly v. Hegseth

WASHINGTON, DC -- After retired U.S. Navy officer and current U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) filed a lawsuit in DC federal court seeking to reverse U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's letter of censure and potentially demote Kelly's rank, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) issued the following statement:

"In America, you are allowed to disagree with the government without the government unfairly punishing you for it.

"Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had every right to express his displeasure or disagree with Senator Kelly for stating a basic, established military principle. Instead, Secretary Hegseth overstepped and tried to punish Senator Kelly for protected speech in an unwarranted manner.

"Senator Kelly's lawsuit takes a principled legal stand for free expression.

"This case is not just about Senator Kelly's rights - it is about your first amendment rights too. It's not just about Kelly's retirement rank and pay. It's about whether President Trump and Secretary Hegseth have the power to impose new restrictions on free speech and the right to punish veterans who publicly disagree with them. In deciding this case on the merits, I hope the court will curb the authoritarian impulses of the Trump Administration."

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