Transcript: Sen. Mark Kelly on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” May 10, 2026

The following is the transcript of the interview with Sen. Mark Kelly, Democrat of Arizona, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on May 10, 2026.

MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to Arizona. Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, who joins us this morning from Austin, Texas, Welcome back to Face The Nation.

SEN. MARK KELLY: Good to be on Margaret.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator, CBS has reported that the cost of the Iran war is at least $50 billion I know you have been pressing the Pentagon on defining just how many of our munitions have been used up in the course of this conflict to date. You said you’ve been worried about how the US would hold up in a conflict with China because of all of this. Have you gotten an answer on how depleted us munitions are?

SEN. KELLY: Yes, Margaret, we we have, we’ve been tracking it a number of times. We’ve been briefed by the Pentagon on specific munitions. Actually, it’s been pretty detailed on Tomahawks, ATACMS, SM-3, THAAD rounds, Patriot rounds, so those interceptor rounds to defend ourselves. And the numbers are, I think it’s fair to say it’s shocking the how deep we have gone into these magazines, because this president got our country into this without a strategic goal, without a plan, without a timeline, and because of that, we’ve expended a lot of munitions, and that means the American people are less safe, whether it’s a conflict in the western Pacific with China or somewhere else in the world, the munitions are depleted. You may have seen me ask the Secretary of Defense this question about how long it’s going to take to replenish. We’re talking about years.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, you know, Admiral Paparo, the head of US Pacific Command, was recently asked in front of Congress about American readiness and whether the diversion to the Middle East was hurting it. He said he did not see any real cost on our ability to deter China. From what you have heard when you say it’s shocking, do you think that the U.S. would be able to defend, for example, Taiwan, if China tries to move against it? Or are you saying we are not in a position to do that right now?

SEN. KELLY: Well, it all depends on the length of a conflict. You know, conflict that lasts a matter of days or just weeks, I think we’re well positioned to do that. If a conflict goes on for months or years, when it takes years to replenish some of these munitions. Of course, we’re going to be in a worse posture than we otherwise would be in if this war in Iran didn’t happen. And by the way, Margaret, what are the American people getting out of this? This president said he wasn’t going to start any new wars. He was going to bring down costs. He’s done exactly the opposite. War against Iran. Costs on everything are up.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, that is true. Of course know their argument that this was an inevitable conflict in some ways. But when it comes to making America ready to defend our allies and ourselves, does what you describe basically make it impossible for a Democrat like yourself to say no to that request from the White House for one and a half trillion dollars in defense spending?

SEN. KELLY: Well, first of all, let me, let me just back up a second. Things like this, nothing is inevitable. There are always other options. During the Obama administration, the Iran deal, the JCPOA kept the enrichment at a lower level, Donald Trump tore that up. That’s the reason we’re- we’re here. But this also was not inevitable. There were other things that we could do. The $1.5 trillion request from this administration. It’s outrageous. When I got to the Senate five and a half years ago, the defense budget was just over $700 billion. Now, they’re asking for twice as much money. It’s nearly the amount that the rest of the world pays for its defense.

MARGARET BRENNAN: — So you’re a no? —

SEN. KELLY: — And as I pointed out in that- and I pointed, as I pointed out in that hearing, there’s stuff in there, like the Golden Dome, the physics on that stuff is really, really hard. I’m very confident we’re going to spend a lot of money, and we’re going to get a system- that going to get a system that doesn’t work. There are other things in there we do not need. I mean, they need to submit a defense budget that makes sense for the moment we’re in.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, it sounds like you’re saying no on that. Let me ask you about something that the administration released late Friday, and that was sanctioning four entities for providing satellite imagery to enable Iran’s military strikes against U.S. forces and allies. Three of those entities are based in China. How extensive is China’s support for Iran and targeting of American assets?

SEN. KELLY: Well, of course, China’s supporting Iran. You know, so is Russia. I mean, they- they are allies. They’re all adversaries of ours. So I’m not surprised.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Not surprised. Should there be a cost for it beyond these sanctions?

SEN. KELLY: Well, I- well, I think, you know, sanctions on whether it’s on the Chinese for supporting Iran or the Russians, you know, for their war against our ally in Ukraine. You know, sanctions are a tool we have to try to get an effect from our adversaries. And this administration is not using the sanctions power it has with regards to Russia. I mean, we’re trying to get them to put more sanctions on Russia, and this administration has been lifting sanctions on the Russians.

MARGARET BRENNAN: There is- you mentioned Russia, there is this three day cease fire in the Ukraine war to allow prisoner exchanges and this parade that Vladimir Putin holds annually. He said yesterday, the Ukraine conflict may be, quote, coming to an end, but it is still a serious matter. We know the American diplomacy has failed to date. How do you interpret what Putin said there?

SEN. KELLY: Well, I think it’s a positive, you know, statement, we want this to end. Nobody wants this to end more than the Ukrainian people, I’m going to be traveling back to Ukraine here in about three weeks or so to meet with government officials, to get firsthand what the status of the conflict is, to hear from the Ukrainian people. We want this to end. They want it to end. I think one of the barriers to peace is that Donald Trump has not provided the support to the Ukrainian government, the Ukrainian people, that Ukraine needs instead. You know, he often. I mean, we’ve seen this over and over again, how he’s got this odd relationship with Putin. He refuses to press Putin, in a way. He’s backed off on sanctions. He’s not put the pressure on the Russian government with the tools that we actually have to get an outcome and get this thing- this conflict, to end.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, we’ll see if that position changes since the diplomacy Secretary Rubio says has not progressed. I want to ask you about your own case here. You were in court this past week. You are suing Defense Secretary Hegseth on the grounds that he violated your free speech rights. The Justice Department is arguing the video you made was calling on active duty service members to reject legal orders. I know you say it was just to resist illegal orders. You said it’s going to go to the Supreme Court. Why do you think that that’s where this is headed?

SEN. KELLY: Well, Margaret, I actually don’t know, you know, how this thing ends. I mean, the Supreme Court could take it up. Maybe they decide not to. I do know this, that Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump tend to double down on bad ideas. You know, that’s why, you know, I said that. But you know, the bottom line on this thing is, this isn’t about me, you know, I said something. It was very clear what we said, you know, do not obey illegal orders. They’re saying I said something else, that doesn’t make any sense. What they said in court just the other day, on Thursday is that if retired service members like me and the other 2 million retired service members out there want to be able to exercise their First Amendment rights, they can give up their retirement, so give up their pension, give up their healthcare, give up that retired status. Think about that for a second. The people who have given the most to this country, this administration wants them to give up their constitutional rights.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well one of the judges said that you are different because you have a bully pulpit, because you’re a senator, that you’re not the same as every other veteran.

SEN. KELLY: Well, I mean, my job is to hold this administration accountable. I’m on the Armed Services Committee. That’s like, specifically that part of the constitution is a separation of powers, Margaret. My role as a United States senator on that committee is to speak out about these issues, and I said something that they didn’t like. But again, this isn’t about me. They’re trying to shut people up, but in this case, they picked the wrong guy. I’m not going to let them violate my constitutional rights or the constitutional rights of 2 million retired service members. I had- by the way, I had service members, retired service members, there with me in the courtroom, because they understand what is at stake here. I mean, if the government was to win this, if Pete hegseth and Donald Trump got their way. I mean, they said I should be hanged, executed, and then they tried to prosecute us and throw us in jail. And now what they’re doing-

MARGARET BRENNAN: –you referencing tweets–

SEN. KELLY: –yeah exactly and now they’re trying to take away these rights, not only from me, but they said in court, 2 million retired service members can give up their rights.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Kelly, we’ll watch what happens next in that case. Thank you for your time this morning, ‘Face the Nation’ will be right back. Stay with us.

Claire Moberg CBS News, “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan”  740-707-1277

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