Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) said he is seriously considering a run for the White House in 2028, even as he battles the Pentagon over threats to his military retirement rank.
“I feel this obligation more so than anything I’ve ever done in my life, to fight back against an unhinged president and a weaponization of the federal government against the constitutional rights of a million retired veterans,” Kelly told CNN in an interview published Wednesday.
The 61-year-old Arizona Democrat added that timing would be crucial to any presidential bid. He said it needs to be the right person for the moment, and we don’t know what that moment is yet.
Kelly’s presidential ambitions come amid an escalating legal battle with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Kelly filed a lawsuit against Hegseth after the Pentagon initiated administrative proceedings against Kelly that could result in a demotion of his retirement rank.
The conflict stems from a 90-second video Kelly released on November 18, 2025, alongside 6 Democratic lawmakers. The video urged members of the U.S. military and intelligence community to refuse illegal orders. The other lawmakers featured were Sen. Elissa Slotkin and Reps. Jason Crow and Chrissy Houlahan, all of whom have military or intelligence backgrounds.
President Donald Trump responded forcefully to the video, calling the lawmakers traitors and suggesting their actions constituted sedition punishable by death. On Nov. 24, the Pentagon announced it was investigating Kelly over serious allegations of misconduct related to the video.
Kelly was censured by the Pentagon. As a retired military officer, Kelly remains subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, unlike the other lawmakers in the video who are not bound by military regulations.
The Arizona senator is married to Gabby Giffords, a former Democratic congresswoman who survived an assassination attempt in 2011.
This is not Kelly’s first brush with national political prominence. He was on the shortlist to serve as vice president alongside Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential campaign, though Harris ultimately selected Tim Walz as her running mate.
Kelly was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2020. He is up for reelection in 2028, the same year he is now considering a presidential run.
In an earlier interview with content creator Aaron Parnas on Jan. 7, Kelly acknowledged thinking about a presidential campaign, saying every senator thinks about it at some point.
Kelly’s potential candidacy could reshape the Democratic primary landscape for 2028. His unique background as a combat veteran, combined with his high-profile clash with the Trump administration, positions him as a distinctive voice within the party.
The senator has been campaigning nationwide in recent months, visiting key battleground states. On Sunday, CNN’s Jake Tapper pressed Kelly on whether he was considering a presidential run, noting his travel to these crucial electoral states.
Kelly declined to give a yes-or-no answer at that time, saying he was focused on his current Senate duties and listening to voters about the problems they face.
The legal dispute with the Pentagon centers on First Amendment protections for members of Congress. Kelly’s lawsuit argues that the government cannot punish legislators for their speech on matters of public policy, particularly when that speech falls under the Speech and Debate Clause of the Constitution.
The complaint filed by Kelly seeks to block the Pentagon’s retaliatory actions and have them declared unlawful. His attorneys argue that the Department of Defense is violating the independence of the legislative branch and undermining the principle of an apolitical military by targeting a sitting senator for his public statements.
Kelly’s criticism of the administration has been pointed. He has vowed to fight the administrative proceedings.
On Monday, Kelly called the Pentagon’s actions against him inappropriate in a statement posted to social media. He accused Hegseth of trying to send a message that any retired service member who criticizes the administration will face retaliation.
The November video that sparked the controversy did not specify which potential orders to the military might be considered illegal. However, under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, service members are required to follow lawful directives but are explicitly not required to obey unlawful orders.
The Democrats said in the video that the threats to the Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home, and that service members must refuse illegal orders.
Kelly has repeatedly defended the video’s message in recent weeks. His willingness to stand firm against the Trump administration, even at potential cost to his military retirement benefits, has raised his national profile among Democrats looking for leaders willing to confront the president.
The senator’s path forward remains uncertain. He must simultaneously navigate his legal battle with the Pentagon, fulfill his Senate responsibilities, prepare for his own 2028 reelection campaign in Arizona, and decide whether to launch a presidential campaign that would require massive fundraising and organizational efforts across the country.
His decision on a White House run may ultimately depend on how the political landscape evolves over the next two years, including the outcome of the 2026 midterm elections and whether other prominent Democrats enter the race. Kelly’s comments suggest he is keeping his options open while focusing on what he describes as a fundamental fight over constitutional rights and the rule of law.