Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon will review whether Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) improperly disclosed classified information on television, marking the second time the Pentagon chief has targeted the Arizona Democrat.
Hegseth accused Kelly of “blabbing” during an interview with CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday while raising concerns that the Iran war has strained U.S. weapons stockpiles.
The incident comes after Hegseth previously threatened to demote his military rank and pull his military pension over a video he produced along with other Democrats, urging troops to defy illegal orders.
During the April 10 CBS interview, moderator Margaret Brennan pointed out that Kelly previously expressed concerns about how the United States would hold up in a conflict with China given the current U.S. weapons stockpiles and pressed whether he received additional information on the depletion of munitions.
After Hegseth threatened the Pentagon investigation, Kelly quickly responded on social media that Hegseth himself publicly stated during last week’s Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that it would take years to replenish stockpiles to pre-war levels.
Hegseth has insisted the United States has sufficient ammunition to sustain fighting against Iran, but concerns have emerged about the U.S. readiness and ability to respond to another major conflict.
President Donald Trump’s fiscal year 2027 budget request includes a $1.5 trillion Pentagon request to cover “rebuilding the defense industrial base” among other priorities, marking the largest request in history.
The Pentagon's budget request also aims to modernize equipment and provide a raise to service members.