Steve Bannon issued a forceful call Wednesday for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to immediately recall Sen. Mark Kelly to active duty and convene a court-martial, arguing the Pentagon’s current review of Kelly’s conduct is far too slow and insufficient given the seriousness of the allegations. Speaking on his WarRoom podcast, Bannon said Hegseth’s decision to wait for a review from the Navy secretary regarding Kelly’s participation in an anti-Trump video amounts to unnecessary delay when, in Bannon’s view, the violation is obvious.
“We’ve got to stop messing around! Kelly’s got to be recalled,” Bannon said. “We don’t need to wait until 10 December, Pete. It’s pretty obvious what he did. Just recall him back to active duty and let’s convene a court martial. Let’s roll.” Bannon argued that the Pentagon’s timeline gives Kelly and the other Democratic lawmakers political breathing room, when the military should be acting swiftly to safeguard good order and discipline. “Do it today,” he insisted. “We don’t need the secretary of the Navy involved. The secretary of war should just do it.”
Hegseth announced this week that he had directed the Navy secretary to review Kelly’s actions for “potentially unlawful conduct.” The review concerns a video featuring Kelly and other Democratic lawmakers — all of whom previously served in either the military or the intelligence community — addressing active-duty troops and intelligence personnel. In the video, the lawmakers urge service members to refuse “illegal orders,” framing their message as a warning about supposed threats to the Constitution within the United States.
The video immediately prompted backlash from conservatives and national-security experts, who argued that the lawmakers’ message could undermine the chain of command by sowing distrust toward the commander in chief. President Donald Trump condemned the video, publicly stating that the six Democrats involved should be jailed and tried for “seditious behavior.” He also noted that historically, such conduct could be “punishable by death,” though he clarified he was not personally calling for that penalty.
Bannon emphasized that because Kelly is a retired Navy captain, he remains subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice and can legally be recalled to active duty for disciplinary proceedings — a process that is rare but firmly within the government’s authority. Bannon urged Hegseth to exercise that authority immediately, arguing that the video represented an attempt to influence military personnel against a sitting president, something he described as intolerable for good order and discipline.
Kelly has defended his participation in the video and rejected claims that he encouraged sedition. He maintains that his comments were lawful and consistent with long-standing military guidance regarding illegal orders. Kelly has also accused the Trump administration of attempting to intimidate him and others by directing the FBI to interview each lawmaker involved in the video.
In media appearances this week, Kelly expressed concerns about the safety of his family, citing his wife Gabby Giffords’ near-fatal shooting in 2011. He argued that Trump’s harsh words carry weight and could inspire violence. “My wife, Gabby Giffords, was nearly assassinated — shot in the head at a political event,” Kelly said on MS NOW. “We have rising political violence in this country, even the president — two assassination attempts. He should understand that his words have significant weight with the American people.”
As the December 10 review deadline approaches, Bannon and others on the right are maintaining pressure on Hegseth and the Pentagon to move swiftly. The dispute highlights deeper tensions between the Trump administration and congressional Democrats who continue to escalate rhetoric about supposed constitutional threats.
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