Hegseth accuses Sen Mark Kelly of leaking classified briefing details

Key Points:

• Secretary of War Pete Hegseth accused Sen. Mark Kelly of potentially violating his oath by disclosing details from a classified Pentagon briefing about depleted U.S. weapons stockpiles due to the Iran war, prompting a legal review.
• Kelly countered that the information he shared was already public from a recent hearing, emphasizing the serious cost of the war and criticizing the administration for not clarifying U.S. goals.
• The dispute between Hegseth and Kelly follows Kelly's participation in a controversial video with Democratic lawmakers urging military personnel to refuse illegal orders, leading to Pentagon investigations and attempts to demote Kelly, which were blocked by federal courts citing First Amendment protections.
• The DOJ investigated the lawmakers involved in the video, but a grand jury declined to indict them, while courts have shown skepticism toward efforts to punish Kelly for his role in the video.
• The conflict has drawn sharp political rhetoric, including former President Trump's accusations of sedition against the lawmakers and threats against Sen. Elissa Slotkin, highlighting the tense atmosphere surrounding military loyalty and free speech debates.