00:00Last year I said something that the president didn't like. It was pretty
00:06simple then, and it still is, that service members need to follow the law. What I
00:15said was a true and accurate statement of the law. It's literally written into
00:23the DOD's law of war manual. That's the same law that I was trained to follow,
00:32and that these veterans standing with me today were trained to follow, and it's
00:39the same law that every veteran is trained to follow. And in response, the
00:48president said I should be prosecuted and hanged. Then he tried to throw me in
00:53jail. And then Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, tried to censure me, demote me,
01:01and take away my pension. All for something I said that I had the right to say as a
01:08senator, as a veteran, but most importantly as an American. But we all understand
01:19that this is not about me. They're trying to send a message to other retired
01:24veterans and really to all of us. If you say something that the president or this
01:33administration does not like, they're going to come after you. The president is
01:40trying to silence us. And I can't think of anything that's more un-American. Just
01:49like these folks behind me, I signed up to serve our country and protect our
01:55our freedoms, including the freedom of speech. Most of us joined to be part of
02:04something bigger than ourselves, to protect and serve the country we love. I know
02:13Donald Trump doesn't understand that. And he doesn't understand us. And sadly, it
02:21seems that Pete Hegseth doesn't understand that either. Because even after a federal
02:30judge ruled earlier this year that his attempts to silence me were
02:35unconstitutional, he wouldn't stop. And today, this administration argued in federal
02:43court that not only do I not have the same freedom of speech rights as other
02:52Americans, but that the millions of other retired veterans across the country don't
02:59either, including many of the individuals standing besides me today. According to
03:08them, anytime a retired veteran says something that the Secretary of Defense
03:13doesn't like, they can be punished. So the people who have given the most in
03:20service to this country wouldn't be free to say what they believe. It's absurd and
03:29it's outrageous. It is an outrageous violation of our constitutional rights. One
03:38of our most fundamental rights is the right to speak out about the government. It's the
03:46right that guarantees all others. And it's how we hold our government
03:52accountable. And it's especially, especially important right now. Donald Trump is two
04:03months into a war with Iran that he started without a strategic goal. Thirteen
04:12Americans have died. The same Iranian regime is in charge and their enriched
04:18uranium is still in their possession. The Strait of Hormuz is now closed and
04:25Americans are suffering with skyrocketing gas prices. And without any explanation from
04:33this president of what this war is trying to achieve. Who better to speak out and
04:41share their perspective than the people who served? Retired military members who
04:49understand the risks and sacrifice of sending brave Americans into combat. Who
04:57understand how to use combat power but also understand its limitations. And also who
05:08have seen the mistakes of past administrations that thought wars could be
05:14fast and simple only to get bogged down for years or for decades. Retired veterans have
05:24always been an important part of our democracy. And that's exactly why I am not backing down.
05:41After 25 years in the Navy, I've given too much to this country to be silenced by an
05:47administration that does not want to be held accountable. So today, this was a day in
05:56court, not just for me, but for the First Amendment rights of millions of us. This
06:05administration has bullied and coerced the press, private companies and
06:12universities. The list goes on. But in this case, the president and the secretary of defense
06:19has picked the wrong guy. Because when it comes to our most fundamental rights, I will not back
06:29down. Given what's at stake, I appreciate the judges quick and careful consideration in this case.
06:39We have the Constitution and the law on our side. And I've never been more confident than I am today
06:47standing here with my wife, Gabby, my daughter, Claire, and the guy who I flew almost all my combat
06:54missions with, Paul Fujimura, but also with these brave men and women who served our country.
07:02Don't give up the ship.
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