Steve Bannon urges Trump admin to court martial former NASA astronaut

MAGA podcaster and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon is daring Secretary of Defense Pete Hegeseth to make good on his threats and to court martial Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) after Kelly appeared in a video with five other Democrats telling members of the military they have a legal right and obligation to refuse illegal orders Mediaite reports.

Kelly is a former NASA astronaut and a decorated U.S. Navy combat veteran who served for 25 years, retiring with the rank of Captain.

Bannon argued Wednesday on his WarRoom podcast that Hegseth's ordering a review of Kelly over his statement is not enough.

“We’ve got to stop messing around! Kelly’s got to be recalled. We don’t need to wait until 10, December, Pete,” Bannon said. “It’s pretty obvious what [Kelly] did. Just recall him back to active duty and let’s convene a court martial. Let’s roll.”

Hegseth demanded the Navy secretary review Kelly’s comments in a recent video featuring him and other Democratic lawmakers for “potentially unlawful conduct" by December 10.

Bannon said that deadline was "way too long," adding, “Do it today. We don’t need the secretary of the Navy involved. The secretary of war should just do it.”

Bannon, who served as an officer in the United States Navy for seven years, from 1976 to 1983, also said Kelly should be recalled to active duty (something that can be done for a court martial, but it is rare) Wednesday, a court martial should be convened as soon as Monday, Mediaite reports.

Kelly, who fired back at President Donald Trump's Truth Social tirade in which he said the Democrats in the video should be jailed and put on trial for “seditious behavior," and that such behavior is “punishable by death," has accused the administration of trying to “intimidate” him and others by having the FBI interview all of them.

“My wife, Gabby Giffords, was nearly assassinated — shot in the head at a political even,” Kelly told MS NOW. “We have rising political violence in this country, even the president — two assassination attempts. He should understand that…his words have significant weight with the American people.”