Mark Kelly says he 'won't be intimidated' by Trump, Pentagon investigation
Kelly defended a video urging service members to refuse unlawful orders and said the Pentagon investigation would not silence him.
SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates Yahoo News, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.
The reporting is attributed to USA TODAY, an established national newsroom, and the page identifies its reporter. Yahoo News is carrying the article rather than originating the reporting.
- Source type — Established national-news reporting is a strong credibility signal.
- Author attribution — The reporter and USA TODAY affiliation are identified.
- Editorial standards — The article attributes claims to Kelly, Trump, the White House and Bacon, though the reporting does not include a detailed Pentagon response.
The article includes direct remarks from Kelly, statements attributed to Trump and the White House, and a response from a Republican lawmaker. Its account is specific, though the Pentagon's rationale and the lawmakers' opposing views receive less detail than Kelly's comments.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article gives substantial space to Kelly's response and his account of the video, while including the Pentagon's stated legal basis, the White House's support, Trump's comments and criticism from Bacon. The official rationale is present but not explored in comparable depth.
- Source diversity — The article draws on statements from Kelly, Trump, the White House and Bacon.
- Omitted context — The Pentagon's stated legal rationale is included, but no detailed agency explanation or independent legal analysis appears.
- Counterarguments presented — The White House supports the investigation, and Bacon criticizes both the video and the response.
This is a straight news report with a largely neutral account of the investigation and attributed comments from people on different sides. Kelly's extensive quotes do not by themselves establish an editorial lean.
- Language tone — The narration uses descriptive language and attributes evaluative terms to their speakers.
- Source selection — The article includes Kelly, the White House, Trump's comments and Republican Rep. Don Bacon.
- Framing — The report centers on Kelly's response while also explaining the investigation's stated legal basis.
Republished with credit
Republished from USA Today, with credit to the original publisher.
21 stories · 79–81 · updated Oct 11, 2026
This is USA Today's own score, and this article is credited to USA Today. The host score in the Source Check is Yahoo News's.
Sen. Mark Kelly said he would not be intimidated after the Pentagon opened an investigation into his role in a video urging service members to refuse illegal orders. The White House backed the investigation, while Kelly and other lawmakers argued the video defended obedience to the law.
The Pentagon opened an investigation into Kelly, citing military law that applies to retirees. The inquiry followed a video in which Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers with military or intelligence backgrounds told service members they may refuse orders they believe are unlawful. The White House said it supported the investigation and noted the lawmakers had not identified specific unlawful orders.
On a television appearance, Kelly called the investigation an effort at intimidation and said the video was intended to remind service members to comply with the law. President Donald Trump had described the lawmakers’ conduct as “punishable by DEATH” in social media posts, then told a Fox News host he did not believe they should be executed but thought they were in “serious trouble.” Republican Rep. Don Bacon criticized both the video and the Pentagon’s response.
Community verdict
12 VOTES
Counts every outlet’s report of this story. See all 34
- Readers of left-leaning coverage: not enough votes yet
- Readers of right-leaning coverage: 60% good look
Votes cast on this page
Votes cast on this page: ▲ 0 · ◆ 0 · ▼ 0
People in this story
SWIPE →Arizona senator who participated in the video and criticized the Pentagon investigation
President whose remarks about the lawmakers and their video are reported
Trump's version of this story ↗
Nebraska representative who criticized the investigation and the lawmakers' video
Michigan senator who participated in the video
Pennsylvania representative who participated in the video
New Hampshire representative who participated in the video
Pennsylvania representative who participated in the video
Colorado representative who participated in the video
Part of a bigger story
27 OUTLETS- ARTICLES
- 34
- OUTLETS
- 27
- AVG CRED
- 62
- Breitbart · Senator Mark Kelly Can't Name Any Illegal Orders But Tells Jimmy Kimmel He's 'Not Backing Down' on Urging Military to Refuse Them from Trump
- twitchy.com · How Dare You Do That! Stephen A. Smith Goes Totally BALLISTIC on Mark Kelly and the Seditious Six
- Latin Times · Steve Bannon Urges Trump Admin To Arrest Mark Kelly Over Comments To Military Members: 'Throw Him In Prison By Monday'
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