The next is the transcript of an interview with Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Aug. 2, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We flip now to Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, who joins us from Columbus, Ohio, this morning. Good morning to you, Senator.
SENATOR MARK KELLY: Good morning, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’re now within the sixth month of this warfare we had been instructed would final 4 to 5 weeks. Up to now week, the targets have widened. Iran hit Egypt. We noticed Saudi Arabia be a part of the U.S. in bombing Iranian-backed militias there, after which late final night time, President Trump used the time period that he had been contemplating navy motion on ranges unseen since World Struggle II. You sit on Intelligence, you sit on Armed Providers. Has the administration shared something in regard to its plans on Iran?
SEN. KELLY: I imply, not these newest plans, and I feel what we’re seeing here’s a president who has an strategy to this that is simply moderately erratic. He says one factor, he does one other factor. It is escalatory. At this level, he is attempting to get us again to February, and I feel if he might, he would. If he had a giant reset button he might hit, he will surely take that possibility. Hey, we have 18 lifeless Individuals. Costs have skyrocketed throughout the nation for the American folks. I used to be right here in Ohio- I am right here in Ohio now, however I met with some veterans the opposite day, they usually’re struggling. I imply, these are plenty of retired service members that may’t afford to place gasoline of their automobile, cannot afford groceries. Hire goes up, and this president just isn’t coping with the problems that the American folks want him to cope with.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, , in our polling, we see that this can be a very unpopular warfare, and it is weighing on the president’s personal approval rankings. However Democrats are faring barely worse. Based on CBS polling, when requested who has the higher strategy to Iran, 32% say Trump and the GOP. Solely 30% say the Democrats. So we’re on this factor. Do Democrats want to supply an affirmative imaginative and prescient for ending it?
SEN. KELLY: Properly, I do not suppose it is the president’s imaginative and prescient. Here is a man who acquired us into this with out a strategic objective, with out a plan, with out a timeline. He is acquired a Secretary of Protection that does not know the right way to handle this warfare, who determined an excellent metric in the beginning was simply to drop as many munitions as he might on as many targets, and now we have a munitions scarcity. Huge shock. So that they’re flailing. They’re caught. They’re liable for this, and the president is the one which has to attempt to determine a approach out of this. I’d recommend to him, although, that the answer is to not do the identical factor that he is been doing, to not have his actual property buddy and his son-in-law answerable for a negotiation, to place some folks in right here that understand how to do that, the right way to speak to the Iranians, and put a coalition collectively, deliver our allies again collectively. He is alienated not solely our GCC allies however our European allies as properly, and it is simply making this a lot more durable for him to determine a approach out.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However the Washington Put up is reporting that the highest U.S. basic in Europe, Normal Grynkewich, warned the Pentagon that he lacks sources to guard Israel from incoming ballistic missiles, and if he is with out one other Navy destroyer, he can be compelled to decide on between protection of the homeland versus that of Israel. It feels like for the second Israel’s not rejoining fight operations. However what does that say to you? Have you ever heard these issues from this prime commander your self?
SEN. KELLY: I have not heard this particularly from Grynkewich on- on this concern, however we- it’s- it is not- Margaret, it is not- this is not rocket science. It is not arduous to determine. I imply, we- we struck over 14,000 targets with a number of munitions. That- that is- places plenty of stress on the journal depth. So after all, our commanders, most likely not solely in Europe however somewhere else are beginning to really feel some stress on can they meet the necessity if they should defend the homeland or our allies. You’ll be able to see why this is a matter for him, and that is as a result of in the beginning of this factor there was no strategic objective, and with out the objective, it is arduous to determine what to do subsequent.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.
SEN. KELLY: And I feel that is why, that , that is why Hegseth went simply to attempt to set information on the variety of targets hit.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah, I ought to say for the document that the Pentagon says it is media hypothesis, they usually do not touch upon operational capabilities. We did ask them to make clear that. However on the purpose about restocking, Secretary Hegseth says he wants cash from Congress to try this to replenish munitions. He wants cash from Congress to pay salaries. He wants $67 billion. You lately have been requested, and also you stated you have been undecided on how you’d vote on further funding. How do you deny that wanted funding?
SEN. KELLY: Properly, Margaret, final yr we handed a protection funds that was over a trillion {dollars}. That was the primary time ever. It was bought to us as a one-time generational funding within the division, and for my part, they squandered that. Now they’re coming they usually’re asking for $1.5 trillion, plus a supplemental. We’re gonna- we’re approaching the amount of cash that each different nation on the planet spends on protection in a yr. That is irresponsible, and now they need a clean examine. Hey, I am going to ensure the troops have what they should defend themselves and defend the United States–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — So you’d vote for the 67?–
SEN. KELLY: –but they should come to us– no, not- no, not essentially. They should come to us with an affordable strategy right here. The $1.5 trillion, that has programs that I’m very assured aren’t going to work. They’re nonetheless engaged on space-based interceptors for ICBMs. The physics on that is actually very, very difficult. It is not going to make us safer. The opposite programs that we do not want. They- they should perceive that we do not need limitless sources on this nation. We have 39 and a half trillion {dollars} in debt, and the protection funds that they are requesting is twice what it was after I acquired to america Senate in 2021. It is twice that funds.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, you talked about that you simply’re in Ohio proper now, and also you have been campaigning for fellow Democrats there. We’re about 90 days out from the midterms. We checked out some current Quinnipiac polling. It confirmed Democrats have a 23%- two, three percent- approval score, worse than President Trump’s approval. You’ve got acquired plenty of headwinds. Republicans have a bonus when it comes to fund- over Democrats when it comes to funding. There’s redistricting that I do know Democrats say disadvantages them, although they’ve additionally gerrymandered. We see interparty preventing in Minnesota and in Michigan with no actual promise to unify Democrats over a- a standard candidate right here. How involved are you that- that Democrats are going to lose this factor or- or find yourself with this very, very tight race?
SEN. KELLY: Properly, I feel now we have a chance right here, regardless of the Republican gerrymandering that began in- within the state of Texas, to attempt to rig the- the deck, so to say right here, and make it tougher. That- that gives a bonus to them. However this president is traditionally unpopular for a midterm president, and he is not assembly the wants of the American folks. , gasoline is up over $4 a gallon. Half of Individuals are having a tough time affording meals, lease, house possession is down. Hire is up. The American persons are actually struggling. So now we have a chance to win again the Home, and I’m assured we are going to. On the Senate aspect, it is difficult. I am not gonna- I am not gonna paint this as a rosy image, however we have 90 days to go. We have now alternatives in plenty of totally different locations, greater than we thought we had six months in the past. And a yr and a half in the past, I’d say we had no alternative to win again the Senate. However due to the horrible job that Donald Trump has performed for the American folks, I feel now we have an opportunity we might win again management of the Senate, and that is why I am right here supporting Sherrod Brown. , he- he- he wasn’t profitable in 2024. He might positively win right here in 2026, however it may take some effort.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Let me ask you about what might occur tomorrow. Invoice Pulte, who’s the appearing director of Nationwide Intelligence, has stated that he’s going at hand excessive job to the person who was simply confirmed by the Senate, Jay Clayton. Democratic objection had been one of many holdups as properly in getting that FISA authority handed. I am questioning, when you see this alteration of command, are these Democratic objections going to soften away?
SEN. KELLY: I can not communicate for everyone, however for me they may. Invoice Pulte was not certified in any approach for this job; ought to have by no means had it. He fired, in line with him, about half of the director’s workplace. And hey, I, , thought there have been too many individuals over there anyway. However this man was not certified. Did not even actually perceive what the Workplace of Nationwide Intelligence did. So I can not think about he did an excellent job at determining who to let go and who to maintain. And since we’re additionally in the course of a warfare proper now. So I think the truth is, when we- after we kind this out, we’re gonna most likely understand that he fired a bunch of the flawed folks. So, hopefully on Monday he’s out of the workplace and we are able to speak about FISA renewal.
MARGARET BRENNAN: All proper, Senator Mark Kelly, thanks in your time this morning.
