Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona sharply criticized the administration’s military approach in Iran during an appearance Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, though he stopped short of declaring how he will vote on a proposed $67 billion defense supplemental package.
Speaking with host Kristen Welker, the former Navy pilot and combat veteran argued that the five-month conflict lacks a clear strategic goal and is exacerbating domestic economic pressures, including rising gas prices and living costs.
“This president got into this without a strategic goal,” Kelly said. “At first, remember, Kristen, this was about regime change. Then it became about nuclear weapons, then about ballistic missiles, then about the Navy. They are flailing here.”
Kelly targeted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the administration’s handling of military operations and stockpile levels, referencing reports that U.S. forces are rationing missile interceptors after hitting more than 14,000 targets.
“He’s incompetent. He should’ve never had this job, and he should be fired,” Kelly said, adding that the high volume of expended munitions will take years to replenish.
Despite his opposition to the conflict’s management, Kelly said he has not finalized how he will vote on the administration’s $67 billion supplemental request, which accompanies a broader $1.5 trillion defense budget proposal.
“I haven’t made a final decision yet, you know, on that specific vote,” Kelly said. “But the way they’ve managed this so far has been a disaster.”
On domestic politics, Kelly discussed the upcoming midterm elections, now 100 days away. He addressed the Senate race in Maine, where state Democrats recently nominated Troy Jackson following the exit of former candidate Graham Platner.
Kelly noted that Platner “was not the right person” and lacked adequate vetting, but maintained that Democrats have key opportunities to win seats in states such as Maine, Ohio, Alaska, Texas, Iowa, South Carolina, and Florida.
Kelly also rejected a recent call from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for federal authorities to enforce an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While noting past disagreements with Israel’s military strategy in Gaza, Kelly pointed to Israel’s upcoming election on Oct. 27 as the appropriate vehicle for political change.
“Israel is an ally of ours. We support the Israeli people. I’m going to always stand by Israel as a nation,” Kelly said. “The best way to resolve this issue with a prime minister that, just like our president, is not doing the job they were hired to do, is for him to be defeated at the ballot box.”
Addressing speculation regarding a potential 2028 presidential campaign—and recent comments from his wife, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, encouraging a run—Kelly stated that his immediate focus remains on the upcoming midterm congressional races before holding further discussions with his family.
READ: Waltz Refuses Timeline On Iran Conflict, Ties Saudi Nuclear Deal To Israel Normalization
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