The next is the transcript of the interview with Sen. Mark Kelly, Democrat of Arizona, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Nov. 23, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we’re joined now by Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, who joins us from Tucson, Arizona. Welcome again to Face The Nation, senator.
SEN. KELLY: Thanks for having me on.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I wish to decide up the place we left off on this matter of political violence. I do know your loved ones has suffered due to it, very, very instantly. After which this previous week, the president known as that video. You participated in, “sedition.” You heard me learn what he mentioned once more this morning, “sedition on the highest degree and a serious crime.” Have you ever- do you could have credible threats? How involved are you about your safety at this level?
SEN. KELLY: Nicely, Margaret, what the President mentioned may be very critical. I did not suppose he would step over the, over that line calling for the execution of members of Congress, and his phrases carry large weight, extra so than anyone else within the nation, and he ought to concentrate on that. And due to what he says, there’s now an elevated threats in opposition to us. I am not going to get into particulars on my private safety, however because the husband of Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, we- I perceive what political violence is. The president ought to as nicely. Similar to Gabby, any person tried to assassinate him, and he ought to perceive that his phrases, have you recognize, might have critical, critical penalties.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And I keep in mind simply weeks in the past, listening to from the president and different Republicans about the necessity to dial again the rhetoric after the tragic capturing of Charlie Kirk. In terms of your–
SEN. KELLY: Yeah, what occurred to that? I imply, that was two months in the past. The place are they now? We have heard little or no, mainly crickets, from Republicans in the USA Congress about what the President has mentioned about hanging members of Congress.
MARGARET BRENNAN: That is what I wished to ask you. Why aren’t we listening to out of your Republican colleagues and when it comes to your safety, I perceive there was a request so that you can get a lift in Capitol Hill safety assist. Are Republican members on board with that?
SEN. KELLY: I do not know. I’ve heard them say, you recognize little or no about this. I believe you recognize the President tries to intimidate them. He tries to intimidate Congress. He appears at authorities accountability as a nuisance. And I believe it is actually essential for folks to grasp, Margaret, that the message he despatched a pair days in the past was, he declared that loyalty to the Structure is now punishable by demise. These are critical phrases coming from the President of the USA. He is attempting to intimidate us, however Margaret, I am not going to be intimidated. You recognize, you simply heard Jason Crow. He isn’t going to be intimidated both. We each served our nation. We swore an oath. All we mentioned is we reiterated what mainly is the rule of regulation that members of the army shouldn’t, can not comply with unlawful orders.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, on that time, when it comes to lawful and illegal orders, it will get difficult for rank-and-file to grasp. I perceive and different networks have reported that the senior choose advocate down at SOUTHCOM raised critical doubts in regards to the legality of the strikes on these alleged drug votes, however was contradicted by attorneys on the govt department. Have you ever spoken to the SOUTHCOM commander? Do you- are you listening to that there are illegal orders being given?
SEN. KELLY: Nicely, we’re listening to the identical factor that you’re. The administration hasn’t shared a lot data with us. I learn the authorized evaluation. It was identical to the briefs. They’re tying themselves in knots attempting to elucidate why what they’re doing as regards to these drug boats is authorized and it is, it is questionable at greatest. Our- one among our greatest allies, the UK, lately stopped sharing intelligence with us within the Caribbean as a result of they query whether or not that is authorized or not. We have been asking for extra briefings from the appropriate folks. We’ve not obtained them, however the data that you just simply shared with me is the, is the general public data. I haven’t got way more past that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, and the French authorities has mentioned it is a violation of worldwide regulation and the regulation of the ocean. That is what our allies are saying about these strikes which are occurring there. However, is that why–
SEN. KELLY: However, Margaret getting again to–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –you made this video?
SEN. KELLY: No. The rationale why we made this video is a pair issues. This president, from earlier than he was in workplace as he was a candidate, to the time he was in workplace in his first administration, has mentioned issues that trigger us nice concern. There’s a pattern right here. When he was operating for president, the primary time he talked about he wished the army, he mentioned he would, he would- the army needs to be killing the households of terrorists. And when he was informed that that was unlawful, this was on a debate stage, he mainly mentioned that the army won’t refuse to comply with my orders, that they are going to perform his orders no matter what they have been. Capturing protesters within the legs is one thing he introduced up in his first administration and fortunately, Mark Esper, his Secretary of Protection, and Mark Milley, you recognize, mainly informed him, you can not try this. In the event that they weren’t there, consider what presumably might have occurred. So, we’re involved–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, I want- yeah, I am sorry. I simply wish to make certain I get to you on Ukraine, as a result of there’s a lot occurring, and I do know you are such a giant supporter of Ukraine. There are three distinguished U.S. senators who’ve gone on the file now, together with Republican Mike Rounds, who mentioned yesterday, Secretary of State Rubio informed them he was unaware of a menace to chop off U.S. assist to Ukraine if they do not settle for this proposed plan that is on the desk. Right here is how Senator Rounds described it.
SEN. MIKE ROUNDS SOT: What he informed us was that this was not the American proposal. This was a proposal which was obtained by somebody who has recognized they usually consider to be representing Russia on this proposal. It was given to Mr. Witkoff.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So since these remarks have been made and backed up by a number of senators, I’ve obtained telephone calls from Senior White Home officers from, from senior U.S. officers saying, no, no, no, that is under no circumstances what, what Secretary Rubio mentioned. What model of occasions can we consider right here when it comes to what America is placing ahead?
SEN. KELLY: Margaret, they have to clear this up. You have got Rubio speaking to my Senate colleague, saying one factor. The spokesperson for the State Division saying one other. Your conversations with the White Home contradict what the Secretary of State and, by the best way, the Nationwide Safety Adviser, identical man, has mentioned about this. They have, they have to determine this out and get the message out and clarify to the American folks what is going on on. I’ll say this, that, that, that plan, that is Putin’s plan. That may be a superb deal for Russia. It’s a horrible deal for Ukraine, for our allies and even for our personal nationwide safety. If Putin will get the prospect with that deal to, you recognize, rearm, rebuild his financial system and acquire territory, by the best way, that is what he wished. Then the Baltics, Poland, Romania, all these different international locations down the road are at menace.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, the U.S. retains emphasizing it’s a working doc, so it could be in a distinct state than what was leaked by an anti-Zelensky politician, however Ukraine’s Ambassador did inform us there is a separate safety assure doc. What, what must be in there that may truly defend Ukraine? Does that must go for a vote earlier than the U.S. Congress?
SEN. KELLY: Nicely, it is determined by what it’s, however Congress needs to be concerned. If there’s a treaty with Ukraine on their very own safety, it is one thing that we’d wish to have some say in. And finally we’d vote on in the USA Senate we’d ship to the president, however they have to be speaking to us about this, on each side of the aisle. Usually the trail they are going on lately is to only share data with the Republicans and even my Republican colleagues do not appear to love that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: No.
SEN. KELLY: However, that is what this White Home is, is doing, and it is as a result of they do not need congressional oversight in, in any means, whether or not it is on Ukraine, Venezuela, or any, any challenge.
MARGARET BRENNAN: All proper, we bought to go away it there, senator, however to your level, plenty of very fiery statements from Republican senators previously few hours. We’ll be proper again with much more Face the Nation. Stick with us.
