Senator Mark Kelly: American Democracy Cannot Be Run by Intimidation

Senator Mark Kelly delivered a live press briefing at the Capitol about eight hours ago, in which he not only defended himself against political attacks but also asserted a larger point: American democracy cannot be run by intimidation, and the U.S. military cannot act outside the law – regardless of who gives the orders.

Senator Kelly said, “I will not be intimidated by this president.” This was not a personal rebuttal, but a political message to all American citizens: The executive branch cannot silence those who speak the truth.

The Caribbean Incident: When the government evades responsibility, Congress must speak up.

The flashpoint of this confrontation stemmed from a serious event: the September attack on ships in the Caribbean. A suspected drug-carrying vessel was sunk, but according to reports, survivors clung to the wreckage. A second attack then followed, killing those survivors. If this is true, it wasn’t just “a tough military decision,” but a violation of the laws of war.

Mark Kelly – a veteran of 25 years in the U.S. Navy who had sunk enemy ships – understood better than anyone the line between eliminating a threat and killing prisoners. Therefore, he demanded an investigation and called for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to testify under oath.

That call was justified, because when human lives are taken, the question arises: “Who gave the order?” It cannot be buried in a top-secret meeting room.

Pete Hegseth, the symbol of an unconstrained military?

Senator Kelly stated bluntly that Hegseth was “unqualified” to be Secretary of Defense. This is not a partisan criticism, but a warning about the danger of turning the U.S. military into a shadowy force, unchecked and unsupervised…

If the Washington Post investigative report is accurate — that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered the “elimination of survivors” — then this goes beyond political debate. This is a criminal accusation, directly related to the laws of war and the personal responsibility of the person who issued the order. A healthy democracy cannot accept any official, including the Secretary of Defense, escaping accountability.

Threats are the most dangerous weapon of those in power.

Nearly two weeks ago, when six Democratic representatives and senators called on the U.S. military to “not obey illegal orders,” Donald Trump responded by calling them “traitors who deserve the death penalty.” This wasn’t a spontaneous outburst; it was a familiar tactic of his: using violent language to sow fear and silence opponents.

The effect of this tactic has been repeated many times over the years. Many Republican figures—those who had supported Trump—have been removed from office, lost influence, or been silenced after becoming targets of public attacks. Most recently, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former ally, announced her departure from the House of Representatives a year before her term was due to end.

But for Senator Mark Kelly—who witnessed his wife being shot in front of a crowd—”threat” is not just a concept, but a real memory because he saw his wife shot right in front of a crowd. Therefore, when Trump continues to use punitive language, he is not only creating division but also an environment where extremists can interpret a president’s words as a signal for action.

In the context of a past attack on Congress and numerous other acts of political violence, a national leader unleashing punitive rhetoric—directly targeting lawmakers—cannot be considered normal. It is a warning of a real danger: that one individual’s words can become another’s actions.

The bigger question: Who controls the power of life and death in war?

This article is not about personnel matters—not about Kelly or Hegseth, nor about the Democratic or Republican parties. But what’s even more alarming is: Since when has eliminating those who have lost the ability to resist been considered justifiable? Since when have military campaigns been conducted without accountability to Congress? Since when can the President call elected members of Congress “traitors” without shaking the democracy?

Mark Kelly has put American democracy before the question it has been avoiding: Those in power who use violence – including state violence – must be bound by law. Otherwise, America will be no different from the countries it condemns.

Not just a counterattack, but a wake-up call.

Mark Kelly says he will not be silenced and his stance is not just for himself, but a reminder that: War Debate must be limited; civilian officials must be subject to oversight; and freedom of speech must be protected from government intimidation.

The increasingly tense confrontation between Senator Kelly and the executive branch could be the starting point for a larger debate about military ethics and political accountability. And that is a debate America cannot avoid if it wants to preserve its democracy.