A senior US defence official, Pete Hegseth, has been formally censured following the release of a video in which he criticised Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, according to US officials.
The video, shared on social media, accused Kelly of undermining national security and questioned his loyalty, remarks that drew swift backlash from lawmakers and defence officials. Critics said the comments breached long-standing expectations that senior Pentagon figures remain politically neutral.
The US Department of Defense confirmed that Hegseth had been reprimanded, stressing that political commentary directed at elected officials is inappropriate for those serving in senior defence roles. Officials said the censure was ...