Bold opening: A seasoned astronaut-turned-senator weighs his future in the presidential race, and the decision isn’t one he’ll rush.
Senator Mark Kelly, aged 61, has hinted that he will “seriously consider” a run for the presidency. A former astronaut with a unique blend of expertise, he points to a career that sets him apart from most lawmakers. “I’m one of the very few engineers,” Kelly notes, adding that he holds a graduate degree in engineering—the only such credential in the United States Senate. He also emphasizes his combat and military background, stating he spent 25 years in the armed forces. He cautions that the decision is significant and says he has not made up his mind yet.
Kelly, who shares the spotlight with five other lawmakers who either served in the military or held intelligence roles, has come under government scrutiny after he and his colleagues released a 90-second video urging troops to disobey what they viewed as illegal orders. The emergence of the video coincided with growing questions about the legality of American actions against alleged narcotics-smuggling vessels off the South American coast.
Subsequently, the Pentagon has attempted to demote Kelly’s rank, a move that has not succeeded, and a grand jury declined to indict him on charges of sedition. Despite these developments, Kelly says he expects ongoing legal action from former President Donald Trump and asserts, “This is not going to end by me going away. I’m going to continue to fight this thing even if it goes all the way to the Supreme Court.”
Critics of the Trump administration describe the government’s actions against the six lawmakers as an assault on free speech and view it as another example of the president targeting political opponents. Kelly also notes that he received death threats, threats he says extended to his wife, former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who survived an assassination attempt in 2011. “Donald Trump is reckless in his rhetoric,” Kelly says, adding that people react to his statements and listen to him.
The BBC has reached out to the White House for comment.
Other Democrats mentioned as potential presidential contenders include Kamala Harris, who was defeated by Trump in 2024, and California Governor Gavin Newsom. In a BBC interview from October, Harris indicated she would “possibly” be president one day and expressed confidence that a woman would occupy the White House in the future.
Although the 22nd Amendment restricts presidents from serving more than two terms, Trump has not ruled out the possibility of a third term. He has, however, suggested vice president JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as possible successors, describing them as “unstoppable.”
