Sen. Mark Kelly delivered a harsh condemnation of President Donald Trump during an interview on Newsnight, accusing the president of abusing his authority, chilling free speech and weakening decades-old international alliances. Speaking to Victoria Derbyshire, Kelly said Trump “was a horrible and failed president in his first term” and argued that he “has exceeded all expectations about how bad he can be in a second term.”
Mark Kelly on Donald Trump: “I think he was a horrible and failed president in his first term. Then he got re-elected, as a convicted felon, by the way. I think he has exceeded all expectations about how bad he can be in a second term” pic.twitter.com/stPs9BefxJ
— Marco Foster (@MarcoFoster_) February 17, 2026
Kelly’s remarks came amid escalating tensions between the senator and the White House, following public comments Kelly made urging adherence to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. According to Kelly, the president responded within minutes, calling for him to be “hanged, executed, then prosecuted,” before later walking back the statement through his press secretary
SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!
— Commentary: Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) November 20, 2025
(TS: 20 Nov 10:21 ET)
Kelly, a former Navy captain who served 25 years in the military said he would not “put anything past this guy,” describing Trump as someone who has “shown a habit of doubling down on bad ideas.”
The senator said the president’s public statements have had real-world consequences. He reported that death threats against him and his wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords, increased “by a factor of 10” after Trump’s comments. Giffords survived an assassination attempt in 2011 after being shot in the head while serving in Congress. Kelly said the couple now receives threats multiple times a week and requires 24-hour security protection.
“A lot of people listen to Donald Trump,” Kelly said, arguing that language calling for execution can provoke dangerous reactions among supporters. He characterized the president as “so reckless about what he says” that it has created a chilling effect, particularly among retired service members concerned about speaking out.
At the center of Kelly’s criticism was his assertion that Trump does not respect constitutional protections. He pointed to the First Amendment right to criticize the government and said the president’s actions have undermined Americans’ confidence in those protections. “He’s got pretty thin skin and he’s got a huge ego, and he doesn’t like people who disagree with him,” Kelly said, adding that Trump has targeted members of the press, law firms and universities, and has pursued legal action against media outlets.
Kelly framed his critique within a broader assessment of Trump’s leadership record. Calling him “a convicted felon” who was reelected, Kelly argued that the president’s second term has proven more damaging than anticipated. “I think he has exceeded all expectations about how bad he can be in a second term,” he said.
The interview followed Kelly’s attendance at the Munich Security Conference, in which he criticized President Trump in a post insisting, “It took a World War and eight decades to build the strongest alliance that this world had ever seen. It took less than a year to practically destroy it.”
Observations From The Munich Security Conference –
— Senator Mark Kelly (@SenMarkKelly) February 15, 2026
It took a World War and eight decades to build the strongest alliance that this world had ever seen. It took less than a year to practically destroy it. When Secretary Rubio said the “old world order was dead” during his speech…
Kelly warned that trust among allies has eroded significantly. He cited strained relations with Denmark and Greenland and pointed to polling in Poland that showed a 21 percent drop in U.S. popularity. According to Kelly, declining confidence in Washington could push allied nations to pursue alternative trade and security arrangements, weakening American influence.
For Kelly, the dispute ultimately underscores what he views as a pattern that began during Trump’s first time in office and has intensified since his return to the White House. By labeling him “a horrible and failed president in his first term,” Kelly framed his criticism not as a reaction to a single controversy, but as a judgment on Trump’s broader record and leadership style. He argued that the president’s conduct—both domestically and on the world stage—has reinforced that assessment, contending that the second term has only deepened the concerns he and others had about Trump’s approach to power, accountability and America’s standing abroad.
