Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona and a 25-year veteran of the Navy, expressed outrage at former President Donald Trump’s incendiary comments of late. When Trump proposed arresting and trying members of Congress for “seditious behavior,” Kelly strongly criticized those statements. In a video released on X alongside five other Democratic lawmakers with military or intelligence backgrounds, Kelly emphasized the seriousness of Trump’s words and their potential implications for the safety of elected officials.
Our video answers him point by point, right to his face. In it, he intimidates Kelly and his peers, going so far as to threaten them with death. Kelly explained why this kind of rhetoric should not be tolerated. She continued it creates a “blatantly dangerous precedent,” possibly encouraging even greater violence to be directed at politicians. He even went on CBS’s Face the Nation to air those concerns. He expressed concerns about the populist former president’s spell and the stifling culture of fear prevailing over Congress.
Our laws are clear. You can, in fact, refuse orders that are illegal,” Kelly insisted. He focused on the duty of military and intelligence professionals to uphold their oaths, even in the face of illegal orders. He called on congressional Republicans to publicly repudiate Trump’s threats, asserting that, “Political violence has no place in America.”
In the video, Kelly continued to call attention to the alarming nature of Trump’s rhetoric. She insisted that they carry great power and have led to increased danger to lawmakers. Smith made it clear this time that he will not be cowed by this kind of talk.
“His words carry tremendous weight, more so than anybody else in the country, and he should be aware of that, and because of what he says, there is now increased threats against us,” – Mark Kelly
Kelly’s sentiments were echoed by other Democratic leaders such as Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark, and Pete Aguilar. Together, they denounced political violence, stating it should never be tolerated in American democracy. Senator Amy Klobuchar confronted the politically unfortunate reality. She cautioned that it is unprecedented and perilous for the president of the United States to threaten the lives of members of Congress. Literally, saying that they should be executed.