https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/judge-blocks-mark-kelly-demotion-illegal-orders-rcna258777

A federal judge on Thursday ruled that the Trump administration "trampled" on Sen. Mark Kelly’s First Amendment rights, blocking Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's efforts to punish the Arizona senator, a retired Naval officer.

“This Court has all it needs to conclude that Defendants have trampled on Senator Kelly’s First Amendment freedoms and threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees,” U.S. District Judge Richard Leon wrote. “After all, as Bob Dylan famously said, 'You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.' To say the least, our retired veterans deserve more respect from their Government, and our Constitution demands they receive it!”

“Rather than trying to shrink the First Amendment liberties of retired service members, Secretary Hegseth and his fellow Defendants might reflect and be grateful for the wisdom and expertise that retired service members have brought to public discussions and debate on military matters in our Nation over the past 250 years,” Leon, a George W. Bush appointee, wrote. “If so, they will more fully appreciate why the Founding Fathers made free speech the first Amendment in the Bill of Rights!"

He added, "Hopefully this injunction will in some small way help bring about a course correction in the Defense Department’s approach to these issues.”

In a post on X, Hegseth said the ruling would be "immediately appealed." He added, "Sedition is sedition, 'Captain.'"

Hegseth said in January that the Pentagon was taking steps to downgrade Kelly’s military retirement rank and pay because of his “seditious statements,” referring to the video from Kelly and the other lawmakers, all of whom had previously served in the military or intelligence community.