A federal judge has blocked Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth from lowering Senator Mark Kelly's rank in the military over his urging service members to refuse illegal orders. US District Judge Richard Leon wrote in a scathing ruling that Hegseth had unconstitutionally retaliated against Kelly in seeking to demote the retired Navy captain. This ruling represents another setback in President Donald Trump's fight against Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers who published a video last year encouraging troops to disobey orders they deemed illegal, which he branded seditious. Earlier this week, a grand jury declined to bring charges of seditious conspiracy that federal prosecutors had sought against the six. Reducing Kelly's rank could lead to a major cut in his retirement pay. Kelly, who is also a former astronaut, sued the government in January, naming Hegseth as the defendant. He argued that Hegseth had illegally tried to demote him in retaliation for criticising the Trump administration. In this week's ruling, Judge Leon noted that while service members have limited free speech protections, retired service members do not fall under those restrictions. Acknowledging the political nature of the case, Leon emphasized that the veterans deserve more respect from their government. The conflict stems from a video where Kelly and his allies argue that military personnel can refuse illegal orders. Trump reacted strongly to the video, suggesting harsh penalties for the lawmakers involved, but a grand jury chose not to pursue charges against them.