U.S. Senator Mark Kelly said he and his wife have received regular death threats following comments by former President Donald Trump, after Trump accused him of “seditious behavior punishable by death” in a social media post, according to an interview broadcast by the BBC.
Kelly said the threats increased after Trump responded to a video in which Kelly and other Democratic lawmakers urged members of the U.S. military to refuse orders they believed were illegal. Kelly made the remarks in an interview on BBC Newsnight with Victoria Derbyshire.
“I’d say the number of death threats we get went up by a factor of 10,” Kelly said in the interview. “We get them on a weekly basis now.”
“The number of death threats we get has gone up by a factor of ten”
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) February 16, 2026
US Senator Mark Kelly, whose wife Gabby Giffords was almost killed by a gunman in 2011 accuses President Trump of being “reckless” with his threats against him and others#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/pwOXd99IVS
The dispute began after Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers released a video following U.S. strikes on alleged drug trafficking vessels, urging service members to follow the Uniform Code of Military Justice and refuse unlawful orders. Trump later accused the lawmakers of seditious behavior in a post on his Truth Social platform in November, calling for severe punishment.
BREAKING: Trump is calling for the arrest of Democratic members of Congress who made a video urging the military to refuse orders pic.twitter.com/3HhCw788BM
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) November 20, 2025
Kelly said Trump initially suggested he should be executed and prosecuted before later retracting the language through his press office. Kelly said federal agencies were then directed to pursue action against him.
“The Pentagon tried to demote my military rank and tried to cut my pension,” Kelly said, referring to his prior service in the U.S. Navy. “That’s been blocked by a judge, and a grand jury declined to charge me with seditious conspiracy.”
Kelly said the threats were directed at both him and his wife, Gabrielle Giffords, who survived an assassination attempt in 2011 while serving in Congress.
“Not just against me, but against Gabby as well,” Kelly said. He added that the couple now has 24-hour security protection.
Kelly attributed the increase in threats to Trump’s public language. “A lot of people listen to Donald Trump,” Kelly said. “When he says things like ‘hang them,’ it elicits a reaction from a lot of his supporters.”
Kelly said his original comments were based on existing military law. “What I said was follow the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which is the law in the U.S. military,” he said.
He said Trump’s response had broader implications for free speech. “What he has done to us has chilled the freedom of speech of other Americans, especially retired service members,” Kelly said.
Kelly described Trump as a “bully” and a “convicted felon” and said he would not back down from the former president’s attacks. “Whether you’re a country or an individual or an organization, you shouldn’t bow down to the United States president,” Kelly said. “I’m not going to bow down to him, and my wife is not either.”
Mark Kelly: “I don’t think you should roll over. Whether you’re a country or an individual or an organization. You shouldn’t bow down to the United States president. The guy’s a bully, he’s a convicted felon. I’m not gonna bow down from him.” pic.twitter.com/LgkQq060xK
— Marco Foster (@MarcoFoster_) February 18, 2026
Kelly also said Trump’s actions had affected U.S. relations with allies. Referring to recent discussions at the Munich Security Conference, Kelly said foreign leaders expressed diminished trust in the United States. “That relationship is now significantly weaker,” he said. “People don’t trust us.”
During the interview, Derbyshire asked Kelly whether the conflict with Trump would influence a potential run for president in 2028. Kelly said he had not made a decision but would “seriously consider” it.
Kelly cited his background as an engineer, combat veteran and former astronaut and said he did not see himself as a traditional politician. He said any decision would be made with his family.
“We are in some seriously challenging times right now,” Kelly said. “It’s a serious decision. I just haven’t made it yet.”
“I’ll seriously consider this because we are in some seriously challenging times right now.”
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) February 17, 2026
Democratic Senator Mark Kelly tells #Newsnight that he will “seriously consider” running in the 2028 US presidential race. pic.twitter.com/xHwLkKQ9zY
Kelly said he would continue serving in public office despite the threats. “Donald Trump is not going to stop me from doing my job,” he said. “He’s not going to stop Gabby either.”
