Transcript: Sen. Mark Kelly on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Oct. 19, 2025

Arizona Democrat Senator Mark Kelly expressed his concerns over the escalating military operations in the Caribbean region, including the deployment of US forces and the launch of maritime strikes by Special Operations Forces. Kelly described these actions as "regime change" efforts, a term he associated with past US interventions that had not yielded positive results.

Kelly warned about the potential risks to American servicemen, citing the lack of clear legal authorities and the constitutionality of such operations. He also highlighted the unclear rationale behind the military's role in interdicting drugs in the region, which traditionally falls under the purview of law enforcement agencies like the Coast Guard.

Regarding the alleged pressure on Southern Command Admiral Alvin Holsey to leave his post, Kelly questioned whether senior officers can refuse unlawful orders without fear of retribution or losing their pensions. He emphasized the need for military leaders to speak truth to power and follow the law, rather than blindly following an order that may be unconstitutional.

Kelly also discussed the ongoing situation in Ukraine, where he has been a vocal supporter. He expressed concerns over President Trump's meeting with Vladimir Putin, which led to the cancellation of plans for Ukraine to receive longer-range missiles. Kelly argued that Ukraine is capable of handling such advanced weaponry and that it would provide significant support to their defense efforts.

In terms of the government shutdown, Kelly acknowledged the need for negotiations with Republicans but noted that a condition of those talks – ending the shutdown – seemed too simplistic. He emphasized the pressing issue of skyrocketing health care premiums, which would affect millions of Americans starting November 1, and called for fixing this problem before addressing other issues.

Kelly concluded by calling on Congress to come together and engage in meaningful discussions, rather than relying on single-hour negotiations or simplistic conditions for compromise.

I'm really worried about these escalating military operations in the Caribbean . As a senator, Mark Kelly is speaking truth to power and reminding us that our troops should be protected by clear laws and procedures, not just for their safety but also for the integrity of our democracy . It's mind-blowing that some people think senior officers can just ignore orders if they're unconstitutional... like, what kind of system is this? We need to make sure our military leaders are speaking out against actions that could put us all at risk, and working together with Congress to find solutions that benefit everyone . And let's not forget about the healthcare crisis – those skyrocketing premiums are going to hit millions of Americans hard . Can't we all just talk things through and find some common ground?

So there's Senator Mark Kelly freaking out about the US military getting involved in some Caribbean drama I mean, can you imagine if they showed up at your backyard BBQ with guns blazing? 'Sorry mate, we're here to "regime change"!' Anyway, Mark's got some valid points about the lack of clear rules and stuff. And what's with the Coast Guard getting involved in interdicting drugs like it's their job

And oh man, he's talking about Ukraine too... President Trump meeting with Putin? Like, didn't they have a beef or two back in the day? I mean, Kelly's right, though - Ukraine needs that long-range missile ASAP! And can we please talk about those skyrocketing health care premiums?! Millions of Americans are gonna get hit hard starting November 1... let's hope Congress figures it out before they all go to therapy

the us gov is getting messy with all these military ops it's like they think regime change is still a thing lol mark kelly's right tho, we need to know what's really going on and who's in charge especially when it comes to stuff like this, ppl should be speaking out not just taking orders

I'm getting so worried about our politicians making decisions without considering the long-term effects . Kelly's comments about the military operations in the Caribbean region are totally valid - we need to think about the potential risks and consequences before taking action . And can we talk about how the government shutdown is still affecting people's lives, especially those with skyrocketing health care premiums? It's like, what's more important, compromise or people's well-being? We need more leaders who are willing to speak up and advocate for what's right, not just throw around simplistic conditions for negotiations . Let's get our politicians to work together on some real solutions instead of just playing politics .

got a bad vibe from this... think we should be focusing on domestic problems like health care premiums instead of throwing money at another overseas mess doesn't make sense to me why we can't have a 1-2 hour convo about shutdown and then move forward with something actually helpful

I'm kinda thinking that Kelly's right about the lack of clear legal authorities for these military ops... Like, what's the real plan here? Are we just trying to muscle in on other countries' business without knowing the long-term consequences? It's also wild that Trump is even talking to Putin again... Those two are like oil and water, you know? But Kelly makes a valid point about Ukraine needing that missile support... We gotta have some backbone here. And can we please focus on fixing those healthcare premiums?! I mean, millions of Americans are gonna get slammed with higher costs starting November 1... Anyway, back to the military thing... what if our own troops aren't even following orders because they're too scared to speak up? That's some crazy stuff.

Ugh, I am literally so frustrated right now... The way our government is handling these military operations in the Caribbean is just wild west stuff. I mean, who are we to be inserting ourselves into every little conflict over there? It's like we're trying to play some kind of colonial game, but with guns and missiles instead of tea and crumpets .

And can we talk about the lack of clear legal authorities for a second? Like, what even is going on here? Are we just winging it and hoping for the best? Kelly's right, this whole thing reeks of regime change, and I'm not convinced that we're doing anything but causing more problems than we're solving.

And then there's Ukraine... poor Ukraine . We're supposed to be supporting them in their time of need, but Trump just goes and cancels the missile deal? Like, what are we even doing over there? It's like we're trying to solve a puzzle with all our pieces facing the wrong direction .

And don't even get me started on the health care premiums thing... millions of people are going to be affected by these skyrocketing costs, and yet nobody's talking about it. It's like we're just ignoring this whole thing until it becomes a crisis. Well, I'm here for it, because that's when the real conversation should start .

We need Congress to come together and have some real discussions, not just throw around simplistic conditions for compromise. Let's talk about what really matters here...

US military operations in the Caribbean region got me worried . Like what's the real goal here? We can't just assume it's about stopping some evil regime without thinking it through. And what about our troops putting their lives on the line? There gotta be some real justification for this, not just "we're gonna do stuff". Also, Ukraine situation is still super sketchy Trump's meeting with Putin was a bad move, imo. We should be supporting Ukraine with that advanced weaponry, not canceling it. And government shutdown? It's just so frustrating those premiums are gonna hurt so many people starting Nov 1. Can't we fix this healthcare stuff before trying to negotiate anything else? We need Congress to actually talk and listen, not just make empty promises or try to rush through it like that.

I gotta say, Mark Kelly's got a point about the US military operations in the Caribbean . I mean, regime change? That sounds like something out of a bad movie, you know? And what's with these special ops forces just launching maritime strikes without clear legal backing? It's like they're doing their own thing and expecting nobody to question it. Kelly's right to be worried about those American servicemen - we gotta make sure our troops are protected from unnecessary risks.

And let's not forget about the Coast Guard and law enforcement agencies handling drug interdiction in the region? That's just not their job, you know? It's like the military is trying to muscle in on someone else's turf. Kelly's call for military leaders to speak truth to power and follow the law is music to my ears .

Now, I'm all for Ukraine getting those longer-range missiles - they deserve it . And yeah, President Trump's meeting with Putin was a pretty shady move... but let's focus on finding a solution rather than just criticizing it . Kelly's right that Congress needs to come together and have some real talks, not just superficial ones .

I'm not sure about Kelly's views on regime change in the Caribbean, feels like we're still trying to figure out what 'regime' even means . Can't help but wonder if it's just another term for "intervention" . And what's with the Coast Guard being involved in maritime strikes? Isn't that kinda a conflict of interest? . On a more serious note, though, I do think Kelly raises some valid points about the constitutionality of these operations and the need for clear legal authorities . And let's be real, skyrocketing healthcare premiums are a huge deal - can we please just get this fixed before the shutdown negotiations start?