The Department of War released an update via X on Tuesday regarding “potentially unlawful conduct” exhibited by Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., in the viral video titled “Don’t Give Up the Ship” which critics claim encouraged treason from service members.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth demanded an update on the review by Dec. 10.
“The Department of War recently received information regarding potentially unlawful comments made by CAPT (Ret) Mark E. Kelly in a public video, on or about November 18, 2025. I am referring this, and any other related matters, for your review, consideration, and disposition as you deem appropriate,” Hegseth wrote.
“Please provide me a brief on the outcome of your review by no later than December 10, 2025,” his letter concluded.
Hegseth Rips Mark Kelly’s Post About His Service: ‘You Can’t Even Display Your Uniform Correctly’
Hegseth addressed his letter to the Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan. Kelly served in the Navy as a captain before running for office.
Kelly is the highest-ranking veteran featured in the viral “Don’t Give Up the Ship” video.
Others appearing in the clip include Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., a former Army O-3; Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., a former U.S. Air Force O‑3; White House national security adviser Eric Goodlander, a Naval Reserve officer; Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., a former CIA analyst; and Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., an E‑5 in the Army National Guard Reserves.
Kelly did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The Department of War provided no additional comment upon request from Fox News Digital.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
The FBI and Department of Justice are scheduling interviews with members of Congress who urged service members to
Senator Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA analyst who joined five other lawmakers in last week’s video statement, said she and other members received a note from the FBI’s counter terrorism division Monday night.
“To be honest the president’s reaction and the use of the FBI against us is exactly why we made the video,” she said in a Tuesday statement. “He believes in using the federal government against his perceived adversaries, and he’s not afraid to use the arms of the government against people he disagrees with. He does not believe the law applies to him.”
The latest move follows an announcement from the Department of Defense threatening to recall Senator Mark Kelly to face a military tribunal for what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called “seditious” acts.
Democratic members of Congress and veterans groups have condemned the investigations as politically motivated stunts intended to silence dissent against the Trump administration.
A statement from Kelly’s office to The Independent said it received the FBI’s inquiry from the Sergeant at Arms.
“Senator Kelly won’t be silenced by President Trump and Secretary Hegseth’s attempt to intimidate him and keep him from doing his job as a U.S. Senator,” the statement said.
Trump is “using the FBI as a tool to intimidate and harass members of Congress,” according to a joint statement from Reps. Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander and Chrissy Houlahan, who joined last week’s video message.
“No amount of intimidation or harassment will ever stop us from doing our jobs and honoring our Constitution,” they said in a statement Monday. “We swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. That oath lasts a lifetime, and we intend to keep it. We will not be bullied. We will never give up the ship.”
The Justice Department declined to comment to The Independent.
Last week’s video from the six lawmakers, all of whom have military and intelligence backgrounds, warns military personnel against “threats to our Constitution” coming “from right here at home,” an apparent reference to the Trump administration’s deployment of federalized National Guard troops into Democratic-led cities to support the president’s mass deportation agenda — actions that veterans groups have also publicly condemned.
The video also follows concerns from Congress and veterans — as well as top military officials — that the Trump administration is launching illegal missile strikes against suspected drug-running boats in the Caribbean and Pacific waters.
Defense officials and the White House have defended the killings of more than 80 people in recent weeks as justified use of force against “terrorists” bringing drugs into the United States.
An official with the Justice Department told Reuters that the upcoming interviews are intended to determine “if there’s any wrongdoing and then go from there.”
Jacob Thomas, an Air Force veteran with progressive veterans advocacy group Common Defense, said he was “appalled” by the Pentagon’s announcement of the Kelly investigation.
“This sham probe, spurred by baseless allegations from the Trump administration, is nothing more than an attempt to silence dissent and intimidate those who remind our troops of their duty to uphold the Constitution over unlawful orders,” he said in a statement. “Senator Kelly’s call to refuse illegal directives is not misconduct, it’s patriotism. We must stand against this abuse of power and protect the integrity of our military institutions.”
Veterans for American Ideals said “calling for an investigation into a well known principle of service is dangerous, and says more about this administration than it does about Senator Kelly”
“Investigations and threats thereof into those continuing to stand by their principles of service are clearly an attempt to intimidate and silence veterans,” the group said in a statement to The Independent, “the very people who have served honorably and want to ensure our military servicemembers continue to have the opportunity to reflect the honor and integrity that is instilled in us.”
Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee and a former Army paratrooper, called the Pentagon’s investigation an “outrageous abuse of power.”
“This is political retribution straight from the autocrat playbook. It has no place in America. And it won’t work,” he added.
Senator Ruben Gallego, Kelly’s counterpart in Arizona and a Marine veteran, addressed Hegseth directly during an interview with CNN Monday.
“You will never, ever, ever even be half the man that Senator Kelly is,” Gallego said. “You, sir, are a coward. And the fact that you are following this order from the president shows how big of a coward you are.”
Trump, who has leveraged the Justice Department and now the Pentagon to pursue his perceived political enemies, said members of Congress in the video should be immediately arrested and shared posts on his Truth Social account suggesting they should be executed.
“Their words cannot be allowed to stand,” he wrote on Truth Social. “We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET.”
Hegseth said the video from members of Congress “may seem harmless to civilians — but it carries a different weight inside the military” and is a “politically-motivated influence operation.”
“In the military, vague rhetoric and ambiguity undermines trust, creates hesitation in the chain of command, and erodes cohesion,” he wrote on X Tuesday. “The military already has clear procedures for handling unlawful orders. It does not need political actors injecting doubt into an already clear chain of command.”
Hegseth, who has labeled the lawmakers the “Seditious Six,” also lashed out at Kelly and appeared to undermine his rank and record of service by criticizing the appearance of his medals and uniform.
He said that Kelly, Navy veteran and NASA astronaut who retired in 2011 with the rank of captain, will face a uniform inspection “when/if” he is called back to active duty to face a military court.
“I said something that was pretty simple and non-controversial, and that was that members of the military should follow the law,” Kelly told MS NOW Monday.
“And in response to that, Donald Trump said I should be executed. I should be hanged. I should be prosecuted,” he added. “I think it says a lot more about him than it says about me. He doesn’t want accountability.”
As the man barreled toward me, his voice boomed across the lot, drawing the attention of passersby. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he shouted, eyes blazing with anger.
I cradled the German Shepherd in my arms, her body limp and exhausted from the oppressive heat. “She was going to die,” I retorted, my voice steady despite the chaotic scene unfolding around us. “You left her in a furnace.”
Ignoring my plea, he continued his tirade, his finger jabbing the air between us. “You just committed a crime! I’m calling the cops!”
Before I could respond, a woman approached, phone in hand, having witnessed the entire episode. “I’ve already called them,” she said, her voice calm but firm. She looked at the man with disdain. “And animal control, too. What you did was inexcusable.”
The crowd watched, murmuring among themselves, some nodding in agreement. My heart pounded, not from fear of retribution, but from the adrenaline and concern for the dog. I gently laid her down, using my shirt to fan her, trying to offer whatever comfort I could until help arrived.
The man’s bravado started to falter under the weight of the public’s disapproval. “You don’t understand,” he mumbled, his voice losing its earlier venom. “I was only gone for a few minutes.”
“You were gone long enough,” a bystander interjected. “Look at her.”
Finally, the wailing siren of a patrol car broke through the tension. The police officer stepped out, assessing the situation. His eyes moved from the shattered glass to the panting dog and then to me, still kneeling beside her.
“Sir,” he said, addressing the car owner, “leaving an animal in a hot car is illegal and dangerous. You’re lucky someone intervened.”
The man opened his mouth to argue but then seemed to think better of it. His shoulders slumped, the fight leaving him. The officer turned to me. “Did you break the window?”
I nodded, ready to face the consequences if it meant saving the dog’s life. “I did what I had to do.”
“Well,” the officer said, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, “you might have saved her life.”
As animal control arrived, they quickly assessed the dog, offering her water and checking her vitals. The officer took my statement, but it was clear my actions were justified in the eyes of the law.
Just as things seemed to settle, the unexpected happened. The man, now subdued and chastened, approached me. “Thank you,” he said quietly, the anger from before replaced with an awkward gratitude. “I didn’t realize… I—I need to do better.”
It was a moment of reflection—a realization that change often comes from uncomfortable truths and hard lessons. As animal control took the German Shepherd to a nearby vet for a thorough check-up, the crowd began to disperse, the incident leaving an indelible mark on everyone present.
I stood there for a moment, watching the man walk away, his head bowed, and realized that sometimes, doing the right thing can spark unexpected change—not just in a single moment, but in the hearts of those who witness it.
By Grok News Desk September 14, 2025 – Charlotte, North Carolina
In a poignant development that has gripped the nation, the family of Iryna Zarutska, the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee brutally stabbed to death on a Charlotte light rail train last month, has spoken out publicly for the first time. Through their attorney, they released a deeply personal statement expressing profound grief and a fierce demand for accountability. While the official release is a typed declaration, sources close to the family describe it as originating from a raw, three-page handwritten letter penned in shaky script by Zarutska’s grieving mother, Anna, amid the chaos of war-torn Ukraine. The document, scanned and shared selectively, reveals the family’s unfiltered anguish—but notably, the final page bears a heavily redacted passage, blacked out with ink, fueling speculation about undisclosed details or sensitive family matters.
The letter, obtained by this outlet and corroborated by family representatives, begins with trembling lines that capture the immediacy of loss: “Our hearts are shattered into pieces that can never be mended. Iryna fled the bombs and destruction of our homeland, seeking the promise of America—a place of safety and new beginnings. Instead, she was taken from us in the most senseless, horrific way imaginable.” The handwriting, uneven and wavering as if written through tears, underscores the emotional toll on Anna, who remains in Ukraine, unable to travel due to ongoing conflict and her own deteriorating health.
As the letter progresses over its three pages, it details Iryna’s vibrant life and unyielding optimism. Born in a small town near Kyiv, Zarutska graduated from university with dreams of becoming an artist and animal advocate. She volunteered at senior centers and worked tirelessly at a local pizzeria in Charlotte, saving for a car and her driver’s license exam scheduled for October. “She texted her boyfriend that night, ‘I’ll be home soon,’” the letter recounts. “Ten minutes from her stop, her light was extinguished. We tracked her phone to the station and arrived to learn she was gone—stabbed, alone, on a train meant to carry her safely home.”
The family’s words paint a picture of betrayal by the very system Iryna embraced. “No family should endure this nightmare,” the letter states. “Iryna believed in America—the American Dream she chased with such passion. She loved this country, its people, its opportunities. We chose to bury her here, not in the soil scarred by war, but in the land she called home.” Indeed, despite offers from the Ukrainian embassy to repatriate her body, the family opted for a funeral in North Carolina, a testament to Iryna’s affection for her adopted nation.
Yet, it’s the blacked-out section on the last page that has sparked intrigue and concern. The redaction, a thick smear of black ink covering several lines, appears deliberate—perhaps shielding intimate family secrets, fears of reprisal, or criticisms too raw for public consumption. Family attorney Michael Smith, speaking on condition of anonymity, hinted that the obscured text addresses “deeper systemic issues and personal vulnerabilities” but declined further elaboration, citing privacy. Online speculation has ranged from allegations of withheld evidence about the suspect to emotional pleas for international aid amid Ukraine’s plight. Whatever lies beneath the ink, it symbolizes the layers of pain the Zarutskas are still unraveling.
The incident itself remains a chilling reminder of urban vulnerabilities. On August 22, 2025, shortly after 10 p.m., Zarutska boarded the Lynx Blue Line at the Scaleybark station, heading home after her shift. Surveillance footage, now widely circulated despite family pleas to stop, shows 34-year-old Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr. sitting behind her. Without provocation, Brown stands, pulls a knife, and slashes at Zarutska’s neck and torso multiple times before calmly walking away. She slumped in her seat, bleeding out as passengers froze in shock—some unaware, others paralyzed. Emergency responders pronounced her dead at the scene.
Brown, a Charlotte resident with a lengthy rap sheet, was arrested minutes later. Court records reveal 14 prior arrests over 12 years, including robbery, larceny, assault, and erratic behavior linked to documented mental health struggles. He had been released from jail just weeks before the stabbing, following a minor charge. Federal prosecutors have since charged him with committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system, alongside state first-degree murder counts. A judge recently ordered a 60-day psychiatric evaluation, with portions of the ruling redacted—echoing the mystery in the family’s letter. Brown’s family has countered that “the system failed him,” pointing to inadequate mental health support, but Zarutska’s relatives dismiss this as deflection, insisting in their letter: “He must remain behind bars forever. No more chances at the expense of innocent lives.”
The family’s release has ignited a broader conversation on public safety, immigration, and criminal justice reform. Iryna’s uncle, speaking to ABC News from Ukraine, described her as “a light in our darkness,” emphasizing how she escaped Russia’s 2022 invasion only to meet violence in a sanctuary city. “She volunteered, she worked hard, she dreamed big,” he said. “America welcomed her, but failed to protect her.” The letter amplifies this, calling for “immediate reforms to transit security, stricter oversight of repeat offenders, and better mental health interventions that don’t endanger the public.”
Public reaction has been swift and polarized. On X (formerly Twitter), hashtags like #JusticeForIryna and #IrynaZarutska have trended, with users decrying “soft-on-crime” policies in Democrat-led cities like Charlotte. Conservative figures, including former President Donald Trump, have seized on the case, with Trump stating Brown “should get the death penalty” and vowing to address urban crime if re-elected. Meanwhile, progressive voices highlight mental health crises, though the family’s letter rejects any sympathy for Brown: “His history of violence speaks for itself. Compassion cannot come at the cost of safety.”
The redacted passage has only deepened the intrigue. Some speculate it critiques Charlotte’s transit system, the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), which the family accuses of “lapses in security” like inadequate lighting and patrols. Others whisper of geopolitical undertones—perhaps Anna’s fears for remaining relatives in Ukraine or unshared details about Iryna’s life stateside. Whatever the truth, the ink blot stands as a stark metaphor for the opacity surrounding Zarutska’s death: a system that hides failures behind bureaucracy, leaving families to piece together justice alone.
Iryna’s life, cut short at 23, was one of quiet resilience. Friends recall her as an artist who sketched animals and landscapes, a volunteer who brightened senior centers, and a young woman “head over heels” for the American Dream. She had just purchased a used car, symbolizing her steps toward independence. Her boyfriend, in a tearful interview, shared her last texts: simple words of love and anticipation. Now, those messages haunt a family fractured by distance and despair.
As the investigation unfolds, the Zarutskas’ letter—shaky, raw, and partially veiled—serves as both elegy and call to arms. “We demand change,” it concludes before the blackout. “For Iryna, for all who seek safety here.” With federal charges mounting and public outcry growing, the hope is that this tragedy sparks the reforms the family craves. But until the ink fades and truths emerge, Iryna’s story remains a haunting indictment of a nation that promised refuge but delivered horror.
In Charlotte, vigils continue, with community members lighting candles at the Camden station. Churches have held prayers, linking Zarutska’s fate to broader societal ills. Her aunt, Valeria Haskell, told People magazine the family is “devastated but determined,” pushing for legislative action on transit safety. As one X user poignantly noted, “Iryna deserved more than silence from strangers on that train. She deserves justice from all of us now.”
The road ahead is long, but the Zarutskas’ voice—trembling yet resolute—echoes louder than ever. In a world of redacted truths, their plea cuts through: No more victims. No more failures.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) warned of possible voter intimidation in next year’s midterms, alleging without evidence that President Donald Trump might deploy ICE agents to polling places “to chill participation.”
He made the claim in a podcast interview with journalist Kara Swisher, where he accused Trump of trying to consolidate control over U.S. elections for decades to come. Several social media users accused Newsom of essentially admitting that illegal aliens have been voting in the state’s elections.
“We have to recognize that there are no limits with this guy. If he could rig next year’s election … I mean, we joke about not having
another [election], I don’t think that’s a joke. He will wire this for the next 20 to 30 years. If it’s a JD … it doesn’t even matter,” Newsom claimed. “He will wire it.”
“He’s already sending out masked people to intimidate folks,” Newsom said, likely a reference to federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who have begun hiding their faces after some Democrats began doxing them and putting their families at risk.
“When we launched our campaign, did it down in Little Tokyo in LA — do you think ICE is not going to show up around voting and polling booths to chill participation? And you know that — the National Guard — you know that,” Newsom said.
WATCH:
Several users on X said Newsom tacitly admitted people in the country illegally have been voting in the Golden State.
Though Newsom offered no evidence, his remarks echo broader Democratic concerns that Trump might take extraordinary steps to influence elections, despite existing legal and constitutional safeguards, Breitbart News reported.
There is no indication that ICE, the agency tasked with immigration enforcement, has any role in monitoring or operating at polling sites.
Newsom also claimed Trump plans to run again in 2028, despite the 22nd Amendment’s prohibition on serving more than two presidential terms. “I don’t think Donald Trump wants another election … I have two dozen Trump 2028 hats his folks keep sending me,” Newsom told Politico earlier. “… this is serious, guys. This is serious.”
He suggested that Trump’s behavior and the presence of merchandise promoting a 2028 campaign should be seen as a sign of intent.
“You think when he brings foreign leaders to the Oval Office and he goes to the White House store — have you seen this? Anyone? Is it just me? — and he shows them the 2028 hats, he’s not being serious? Wake up. You will lose your country,” Newsom ranted.
The governor’s remarks come amid ongoing debates over election security, voter access, and federal authority in state-run elections. To that point, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform on Saturday that an executive order requiring voter ID in all federal elections would be forthcoming.
“Voter I.D. Must Be Part of Every Single Vote. NO EXCEPTIONS! I Will Be Doing An Executive Order To That End!!!” Trump wrote. “Also, No Mail-In Voting, Except For Those That Are Very Ill, And The Far Away Military.”