Hegseth calls for Sen. Mark Kelly to be investigated by Pentagon for second time

Key Points:

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has called for an investigation into Senator Mark Kelly over his public comments about U.S. weapon stockpiles, marking the second time Hegseth has initiated a review of the Democratic senator.
• Kelly expressed concern on CBS about the depletion of U.S. munitions, including Tomahawks, ATACMS, and Patriot rounds, warning that the reduced stockpiles could compromise national security amid ongoing conflicts.
• Kelly responded to Hegseth by highlighting that their discussion about stockpile replenishment was made publicly during a Senate hearing, disputing claims that his comments were classified.
• This latest dispute follows a recent federal appeals court move likely to reject Hegseth’s prior attempt to penalize Kelly over his call for service members to refuse illegal orders, which Kelly challenged legally.
• Reports indicate the U.S. military has significantly depleted key missile stockpiles during the Iran war, raising concerns about ammunition availability for future conflicts, with some missile inventories reduced by nearly half.