Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona said he is seriously weighing a run for president in 2028, telling CNN that the decision will depend on what the political moment demands, even as he is locked in a high-profile legal fight with the Trump administration and continues to campaign nationally.
In a wide-ranging interview published Wednesday, Kelly said he believes the next Democratic nominee must be the “right person for the moment,” adding that it remains unclear what that moment will look like. The comments mark Kelly’s most direct acknowledgment yet that a White House run is on the table.
The retired astronaut and Navy officer is currently embroiled in a legal dispute with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Earlier this month, Kelly sued Hegseth after the Pentagon moved to censure him and lower his retirement rank following Kelly’s participation in a video urging service members to reject illegal orders.
Kelly argues the Pentagon’s actions amount to retaliation that violates both the independence of the legislative branch and the principle of an apolitical military. In his lawsuit, Kelly asked a federal judge to block the administration’s actions and declare them unlawful.
The 46-page complaint argues that the First Amendment bars the government from punishing protected speech or retaliating against expression it disfavors. The filing says that prohibition applies with particular force when legislators speak on matters of public policy.
Kelly echoed that argument more bluntly in his CNN interview, emphasizing his status as a sitting U.S. senator. He said that, at least in theory, lawmakers have enhanced speech protections under the Constitution’s Speech and Debate Clause, and accused the administration of trampling on those rights.
The dispute escalated after President Donald Trump publicly attacked Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers who appeared in the video released in November. Trump accused the group of sedition and suggested they should face the death penalty, remarks that intensified already heated tensions.
Kelly told CNN that Trump’s comments have had real-world consequences. He said his office has received threats since the president’s statements, and that his wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords, has also been targeted. Kelly added that police are now stationed outside the homes of his adult children.
The threats carry particular weight for Kelly and his family. Giffords was shot in the head during a constituent event in 2011, an attack that left her seriously wounded and became one of the most infamous acts of political violence in recent U.S. history.
Despite the legal fight and heightened security concerns, Kelly has continued to travel and campaign nationwide as the midterm elections approach. His increased visibility has also fueled speculation about his national ambitions, especially with the 2028 Democratic primary slowly coming into focus.
Kelly was previously considered a top contender to join former Vice President Kamala Harris on the Democratic ticket in 2024, a sign of his standing within the party. Now, he says his motivation is driven by what he describes as a sense of obligation to push back against what he views as an overreach of executive power.
“I feel this obligation more so than anything I’ve ever done in my life,” Kelly told CNN, saying he wants to confront what he described as an unhinged president and what he claims is the weaponization of the federal government against the constitutional rights of retired veterans.
Whether Kelly ultimately enters the 2028 race remains an open question, but his remarks signal that Democrats are already beginning to position themselves for the next presidential contest, even as legal and political battles continue to dominate Washington.
