'Hegseth has been upstaged': Secretary inspecting uniforms as underling negotiates Ukraine

Self-styled "secretary of war" Pete Hegseth has been reduced to threatening uniform inspections as one of his subordinates takes part in talks to bring Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine to an end.

The secretary of defense has been publicly attacking Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) for taking part with other Democratic lawmakers in a viral video that President Donald Trump wants investigated as sedition, and Hegseth first threatened to court martial the retired U.S. Navy captain and astronaut and then taunted him online over an alleged uniform violation, reported NOTUS.

"These new probes centered on the video come as both Hegseth and FBI Director Kash Patel are under increasing internal pressure over a variety of issues," the outlet reported in its newsletter.

"Hegseth has been upstaged, in a sense, by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll," the report added. "Driscoll, a Yale Law School friend of Vice President JD Vance, was dispatched to Ukraine to try to end its war with Russia. Patel has been under withering criticism for his use of local FBI SWAT teams to protect his girlfriend. MSNOW reported that Patel’s days leading the FBI may be numbered."

The defense secretary threatened to recall Kelly to active duty so he can face court-martial proceedings for taking part in the viral video reminding service members of their duty to follow “lawful orders’’ under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and all six lawmakers revealed Tuesday the FBI wants to question them.

"In addition to Kelly, the other Democrats are: Reps. Jason Crow (Colo.), a former Army officer; Chrissy Houlahan (Pa.), a former Air Force captain; Chris Deluzio (Pa.), a former Navy lieutenant who served in Iraq; Maggie Goodlander (N.H.), who served in the Navy reserves; and Sen. Elissa Slotkin (Mich.), who worked at the CIA," NOTUS reported.

Slotkin said she heard from the FBI's counterterrorism division, and the lawmakers said the administration's response indicated a need to remind service members of their oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution.

“No amount of intimidation or harassment will ever stop us from doing our jobs and honoring our Constitution,” the four House members said in a joint statement.

Hegseth’s attacks on Kelly could potentially elevate him as a possible 2028 presidential candidate, and the individuals who post in Reddit's military forum were among many critics who wondered why the defense secretary was concerning himself with political matters.

"What leader of ANY department EVER got into a social media pissing war with ANY former service member?" posted Reddit user Roy4Pris. "It's f------ disgraceful."

"What f------ general-level (and up) is busy scrutinizing the order of medals on someone's uniform?" agreed Reddit user ObjectiveRodeo. "Guy with platoon-level thinking, that's what."