Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly has revealed he is seriously contemplating a presidential campaign in 2028 while simultaneously engaged in a legal confrontation with the Trump administration. The conflict stems from a November video in which Kelly and five other lawmakers with military or intelligence backgrounds urged military personnel to refuse illegal orders.
The retired Navy captain and former astronaut confirmed receiving frequent death threats following President Trump’s accusation of ‘seditious behavior.’ Kelly told BBC Newsnight that he and his wife, former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, now require 24-hour security protection due to these threats.
Kelly emphasized his unique qualifications for higher office, noting: ‘I’m one of the very few engineers in the Senate—the only person with a graduate degree in engineering. I’ve got combat experience, which is kind of rare, and spent 25 years in the military.’ Despite these credentials, he acknowledged that a presidential run represents ‘a serious decision’ he hasn’t yet finalized.
The controversial video emerged during heightened scrutiny of American military strikes against alleged narco-trafficking vessels off South America. The Pentagon attempted to demote Kelly’s military rank in response, while a grand jury declined to pursue seditious conspiracy charges.
Kelly anticipates continued legal pressure from the Trump administration, vowing: ‘This is not going to end by me going away. I’m going to continue to fight this thing even if it goes all the way to the Supreme Court.’
Critics have condemned the government’s actions against the six lawmakers as an attack on free speech and another example of targeting perceived political enemies. The situation carries particular sensitivity for Kelly’s family, as his wife survived an assassination attempt in 2011 when she was shot while serving in Congress.
Regarding Trump’s rhetoric, Kelly stated: ‘Donald Trump is so reckless about what he says. There are folks out there that react to what he said, and people listen to him.’
Potential Democratic contenders for 2028 include Kamala Harris, who lost to Trump in 2024, and California Governor Gavin Newsom. Despite constitutional limitations, Trump hasn’t ruled out seeking a third term while also endorsing Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as ‘unstoppable’ potential successors.