Bold opening: A leading US senator is weighing a bid for the presidency, signaling a potential fresh chapter in 2028 politics. And this is where the discussion gets even more intricate...
US Senator Mark Kelly has told the BBC that he will seriously consider a presidential run in 2028, even as he remains at odds with the Trump administration over a video in which he urged service members to refuse orders he believed to be illegal.
Kelly, the Arizona Democrat and a former astronaut who spent 25 years in the military, described himself as very different from most lawmakers. He pointed out that he is one of the handful of engineers in the Senate and is the only member with a graduate degree in engineering. He emphasized his combat experience, branding it a rarity in the upper chamber. Still, he stressed that the decision to pursue the White House is serious and not yet made.
The 61-year-old, who is married to Gabrielle Giffords, said he and his wife have received multiple death threats since the controversy surrounding the clip. He noted that security was required around the clock, with protection provided 24 hours a day.
Kelly and five other lawmakers—each of whom has military or intelligence backgrounds—were targeted by government action after releasing a 90-second video urging troops to disobey what they considered illegal orders. The video emerged amid questions about the legality of American strikes on alleged narco-trafficking vessels off the coast of South America.
Looking ahead, Kelly anticipated that former President Donald Trump would continue pursuing legal action against him, even suggesting the dispute could reach the Supreme Court. “This is not going to end by me going away,” he said. “I’m going to continue to fight this thing even if it goes all the way to the Supreme Court.”
Critics accuse the Trump administration of using legal pressure to silence political opponents and frame the crackdown as an attack on free speech. Kelly described Trump’s rhetoric as reckless and acknowledged that some people are influenced by what the former president says.
The BBC reached out to the White House for comment.
Other Democrats weighing a 2028 bid include Kamala Harris, who lost to Trump in 2024, and California Governor Gavin Newsom. In a prior BBC interview in October, Harris said she would “possibly” become president one day and expressed confidence that a woman would hold the nation’s highest office in the future.
Kelly has also floated the idea of vice president candidates such as JD Vance and Marco Rubio, calling them “unstoppable.”
Would you support a candidate with a military and engineering background taking on the presidency? How do you weigh the benefits of experience in complex leadership roles against the evolving political landscape? Share your thoughts in the comments.
