Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrives for a briefing in the U.S. Capitol.

In November, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona and five other Democratic lawmakers released a video reminding military members that they have the right to disobey illegal orders.

Reasonable people can disagree over whether the video was wise or unduly partisan. Regardless, the message was an accurate description of an established military principle, and Mr. Kelly, along with the other lawmakers, had every right to say it.

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Enter Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose Pentagon initially threatened to criminally investigate and perhaps even court-martial Mr. Kelly for supposedly interfering with the good order of the armed forces. On Monday, Mr. Hegseth announced that he would proceed with a lesser step.

On social media, the secretary said that the so-called Department of War will take........

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