Kelly’s Pentagon clash boosts national profile and 2028 bid chatter

A federal appeals court panel signals it will likely reject Pentagon plans to punish Sen. Mark Kelly for advising troops to disobey unlawful orders, keeping the high-profile dispute alive and potentially sending the case to the Supreme Court. The drama has elevated Kelly’s national standing as a Democratic critic of the Trump administration and fueled fundraising (more than $25 million in six months), while fueling speculation he could seriously pursue a 2028 presidential bid.