A federal judge has blocked an attempt by the US defence secretary to punish a retired naval officer and senator for speaking out, delivering a sharp rebuke to efforts to narrow constitutional protections for veterans.

A federal judge delivered a scathing ruling against Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s effort to punish a Democratic US senator for warning members of the military against following unlawful orders.

US District Judge Richard Leon on Thursday  granted a preliminary injunction that at least temporarily blocked Hegseth from punishing Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), a retired US Navy captain who was one of several Democratic lawmakers to take part in a  video that advised military service members that they had a duty to disobey President Donald Trump if he gave them unlawful orders.

In his ruling, Leon eviscerated Hegseth’s efforts to reduce........

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