Mark Kelly says Trump 'making up' Iran war objectives but then there's this little factoid

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), currently under a command investigation for allegedly inciting military insubordination, went to X on Sunday night to hurl a rhetorical grenade at the Trump administration's handling of the war against Iran. By the way, the senator is reportedly eyeing a 2028 presidential bid.

Kelly seized on a colorful remark from President Donald Trump and a "no quarter" comment from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a phrase with a historical meaning of no mercy for enemy forces, to argue that the administration lacks any clear direction.

"The 'no quarter' comment by the SecDef and this 'just for fun' remark by the President tells me there was never a clear strategy for this war," Kelly posted on X. He continued by accusing the administration of "making up objectives as they stumble along" while endangering troops and spiking gas prices, [but while simultaneously kicking IRGC butt, big time]. 

Over the weekend, Trump threatened additional strikes on Iran's Kharg Island, declaring that U.S. attacks had "totally demolished" much of the island and adding, "We may hit it a few more times just for fun." This is Trump's way of being funny, but the left went with it to make it sound like more than what it was.

Hegseth delivered the "no quarter" line during a Friday press briefing with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine.

"With every passing hour, we know and we know they know that the military capabilities of their evil regime are crumbling," Hegseth said. "They can barely communicate, let alone coordinate. They're confused and we know it. Our response? We will keep pressing. We will keep pushing, keep advancing, no quarter, no mercy for our enemies."

The trouble for Kelly is that the administration's actual objectives have been stated plainly as "clear, decisive, and achievable," to use Hegseth's own words from that same briefing. Hegseth described the mission as to "defeat the missiles, missile launchers, and defense industrial base … defeat the Navy, and deny Iran the ability to have a nuclear weapon." In other words, Kelly is totally wrong: the Trump administration, specifically the Department of War, had a plan for victory. Kelly, you might recall, is reportedly planning to make a run for the 2028 presidential campaign.

General Caine backed the fact that a plan exists, explaining that CENTCOM aims to dismantle Iran's capacity to threaten U.S. forces and global energy supplies.

"Destroy the Iranian Navy to ensure freedom of navigation," Caine stated, with a specific focus on Iran's mine-laying capabilities. He added that the goal is to ensure Iran "cannot rebuild the capabilities that can harm America's interests." 

But in case you missed it, Kelly wants to run for President in 2028.

Hegseth went further, clarifying that targeting ballistic missiles serves as the strategic lever to compel Iran to "give up their nuclear capabilities." In other words, the objectives have been "laid out from day one," just like Kelly's plans for 2028 are reportedly laid out.

Kelly's newfound worry about the "good order and discipline" of military operations comes across as rather hollow, especially given his own legal entanglements. The retired Navy captain faces an official Department of War investigation over his role in a video that Hegseth dubbed the "Seditious Six," in which Kelly and five other Democrats urged service members to "refuse illegal orders."

Hegseth previously called the video "despicable, reckless, and false," pointing out that Kelly, even as a retiree, remains subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). 

But can he handle the truth?

While Kelly insists the administration is endangering warriors through a lack of strategy, the Department of Defense has countered that it is Kelly's own rhetoric, encouraging troops to question their chain of command, that "sows doubt and confusion" and actually puts the force at risk. 

As the U.S.-Israeli coalition moves into its third week of operations, Kelly seems far less focused on the military's clearly articulated goals of neutralizing a nuclear-hungry regime and far more invested in the 2028 presidential run, in case I forgot to mention it.

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Judicial Watch a conservative watchdog concerned over Trump's safety after total screwup by Secret Service

US Secret Service Director Sean Curran November 26, 2025.
(Drew ANGERER / AFP via Getty Images)

The folks at Judicial Watch aren't letting up on the Secret Service, and for good reason, another glaring security failure in September put President Donald Trump dangerously close to a group of radical protesters who somehow knew exactly where he'd be.

Even after two assassination attempts on his life and a shake-up in Secret Service leadership, Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton is sounding the alarm on what looks like ongoing incompetence at the agency charged with protecting the president.

"I'm really concerned about the president's safety," Fitton stated.

He pointed out the obvious: President Trump "was almost killed twice, supposedly under the protection of the Secret Service, and then they walked him into a potentially dangerous ambush."

The incident happened during Trump's September 9 visit to Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab in Washington, D.C., where Code Pink activists managed to get right next to the president's table.

Dining with him were Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

The protesters booked a nearby table, started shouting their chants, and had to be removed.“These people were allowed to get within arm’s length of the sitting president with knives and who knows what else in the restaurant available to them,” he continued, labeling the incident as an “unbelievable security lapse.”

Judicial Watch has now sued for internal Secret Service records as part of their probe.They're digging into how these protesters got advance word of the president's location and how they were allowed so close—a combination that screams massive risk.

"I can't believe they would let random people sit in that close proximity to them," stated former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker. "That's crazy. That's like the days when Abraham Lincoln would ride down Pennsylvania Avenue in his coach and buggy with no protection."

At a time when threats against President Trump remain sky-high, this kind of lapse isn't just embarrassing, it's extremely dangerous. The Secret Service needs to get its act together, and fast.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

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ISIS Remnants Just Ambushed and Killed American Troops in Syria

A year after the Assad regime finally collapsed Syria is still a mess. The new government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa (his ISIS name being Abu Mohammad al-Julani) is trying to get its act together, but pockets of chaos remain, especially where these Islamist holdouts like ISIS are lurking, for some reason. And unfortunately, that instability just claimed American lives.

[Al-Sharaa became President of Syria in January 2025 after a period leading to the rebel offensive that overthrew Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024.]

Two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in an ambush in the central Syrian town of Palmyra over the weekend, with three others wounded. The Pentagon confirmed it, and it's a grim reminder that our counter-terrorism mission there isn't over yet, and al Sharaa is a terrorist who cannot be trusted.

"Today in Palmyra, Syria, two United States Army soldiers and one civilian U.S. interpreter were killed, and three were wounded," Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell wrote on X. "The attack occurred as the soldiers were conducting a key leader engagement. Their mission was in support of ongoing counter-ISIS/counter-terrorism operations in the region," he added, noting that "The soldiers’ names, as well as identifying information about their units, are being withheld until 24 hours after the next of kin notification."

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth praised the response and sent a clear message to any jihadist scum thinking about targeting Americans. "The savage who perpetrated this attack was killed by partner forces."

"Let it be known, if you target Americans — anywhere in the world — you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you," Hegseth also posted on X.

The attack occurred in an area where Sharaa's government doesn't have full control, and early signs point to ISIS as the culprits, what a shocker--these rats never go away. The Pentagon is investigating, and the wounded were sent via MEDEVAC to the al-Tanf base near the Iraq-Jordan border.

This comes as U.S. forces are drawing down to about 1,500 troops as of mid-year, with plans to drop to a few hundred by year's end. We've closed or handed over some of our eight bases that were keeping tabs on ISIS since we went in back in 2014 to stop their caliphate nonsense.

Meanwhile, "The United States, CIA and military forces are reportedly deeply involved in securing and stabilizing the situation in Syria," as Dan Diker from the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs told Fox News Digital.

And just this week, Syrians were celebrating in Damascus streets marking the one-year anniversary of Assad's ouster—that lightning rebel offensive that ended half a century of his family's brutal rule. It's a new chapter, but as this attack shows, the threats aren't gone. Former U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford has been warning about the challenges ahead for the new government.

Our troops are still out there doing the dirty work to keep ISIS down. This ambush is a gut punch, but Hegseth's warning is spot on: mess with Americans, and you'll regret it—briefly.

Will it? We shall see.

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Uh-Oh: Mark Kelly Just Entered the ‘Find Out’ Stage, and It’s Glorious

The Shahada Finger

Well, look who’s suddenly very interested in flashing his fruit salad.

Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), the same guy who spent the last week cosplaying as a brave constitutional defender while openly urging active-duty troops to disobey lawful orders, just got a rather pointed love letter from the newly renamed Department of War. And in classic Democrat fashion, his response was to post a photo of every ribbon, badge, and medal he ever earned, as if that’s going to scare off the Uniform Code of Military Justice. 

Kelly took to X with all the bravado of a man who thinks a shiny pile of cloth and metal makes him bulletproof:

"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies who care more about their own power than protecting the Constitution."

Aww. Someone cue the violin.

Here’s the thing, Captain Kelly (Ret.): the Department of War isn't impressed with your trophy wall. They just announced they’re investigating you for “serious allegations of misconduct” after that little video you filmed with your Democrat friends telling troops and intel officials to ignore "illegal orders" (you know, the ones you personally dislike).

The DOW's statement was deliciously blunt:

"The Department of War has received serious allegations of misconduct against Captain Mark Kelly, USN (Ret.). … In accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. § 688, and other applicable regulations, a thorough review of these allegations has been initiated to determine further actions, which may include recall to active duty for court-martial proceedings or administrative measures."

Translation: They can yank your retired butt back onto active duty and court-martial you. And yes, retired officers are still 100% subject to the UCMJ. 

The statement even threw in a gentle reminder for the slow learners in the back:

"All service-members are reminded that they have a legal obligation under the UCMJ to obey lawful orders and that orders are presumed to be lawful. A service-member’s personal philosophy does not justify or excuse the disobedience of an otherwise lawful order."

In other words, you don't get to play "I'm the real patriot here" and tell troops to mutiny because you don't like the new sheriff in town.

But Kelly and his band of merry scumwafers (Slotkin, Crow, Houlahan, etc.) thought they could grandstand for the cameras, accuse the administration of "pitting our uniformed military … against American citizens," and walk away unscathed.

They were wrong.

Vice President JD Vance already called their little stunt "by definition illegal." Now the grown-ups in the room are following through.

And Kelly is still out there thumping his chest like this is all just political theater. Just last week he went on CNN and whined:

"I think it's important to say that there is nothing more American than standing up for the Constitution, that's what we were doing. President didn't like it, so now he calls for us to be hanged."

Buddy, nobody's hanging you. They're just reminding you that sedition-curious behavior has consequences when you still wear the uniform (even if it's only on paper). This whole episode has been a masterclass in Democrat hubris. They thought they could LARP as the #Resistance 2.0, incite disobedience in the ranks, and the military would just shrug. 

Instead, Mark Kelly might have just lit his own decorated career on fire for a viral video and some applause from the blue-check crowd.

Congratulations, Senator. You played stupid games, now it's time to FO.

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Antifa’s Portland Party Crashes Hard as Feds Roll In

Antifa's reign of chaos in Portland just hit a brick wall, and it's glorious. As RedState dropped earlier, President Donald Trump came out swinging Saturday morning, announcing he's sending in the cavalry to deal with the anti-ICE mayhem in that far-left dumpster fire of a city, where Antifa's been running amok like they own the place. You know, the same Antifa that Democrats swear is just a figment of our imagination.

"I am directing Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists," Trump declared on Truth Social, making it crystal clear he's green-lighting “full force” if these clowns don't back off.

Antifa, never ones to miss a chance to light a Molotov cocktail, reportedly cooked up a "direct action" stunt at Portland's ICE facility for Sunday afternoon. Spoiler alert: they're not exactly winning hearts and minds.

While we’re still waiting to see how that plays out, and when the troops will actually hit the ground, the feds weren't messing around Friday night, even before Trump's big announcement. They were already out there, ready to shut down the Antifa circus. When the black-clad brigade kicked off their Saturday night tantrum, they got a rude awakening. Not only did the feds bring the heat from the air:

But they also showed up on the ground, ready to rumble.

Katie Daviscourt, a boots-on-the-ground reporter for The Post Millennial, nailed it: "It's mass chaos tonight outside the ICE facility. Agitators appear to be furious about military deployment." Gee, you think? Nothing says "we’re losing" like a bunch of masked wannabe revolutionaries throwing a fit when the adults show up.

Here's the deal: Antifa's days of turning blue cities into their personal playground are numbered. Trump's done with the Democrats' spineless "leadership" that lets these thugs treat public streets like their own anarchist Airbnb. The longer they keep this up, the worse it’s gonna get for them. 

And honestly? Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch.

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Hegseth’s Virginia Pow-Wow with Military Brass Raises Eyebrows, But Is It a Big Deal?

Washington is buzzing again, and this time it's over Secretary of War Pete Hegseth calling a meeting with the Pentagon's top brass. According to conservative outlet, The Daily Wire, Hegseth is set to meet with his senior military leaders next week at a Virginia summit, and the legacy media is already spinning it like it's the prelude to a Tom Clancy novel. The Washington Post breathlessly reported that Hegseth  ordered "hundreds of generals" and admirals to drop everything and convene "quickly and without explanation," a move they claim is "sowing confusion and alarm" after the Trump administration's housecleaning of senior leaders this year.

Let's pump the brakes for a second. 

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, cool as a cucumber, confirmed to the outlet on Thursday that Hegseth will indeed be "addressing his senior military leaders early next week." Sounds like a standard huddle, right? Not if you're reading birdcage liner known as The Washington Post, which paints Hegseth as some kind of rogue warlord, accusing him of "overly political moves" that are "erasing the Defense Department's status as a nonpartisan institution." 

Oh, the horror. Politics in Washington! Next, they'll tell us the Potomac is wet.

The real fireworks came Thursday afternoon when President Trump got wind of The Post's pearl-clutching. "Why is that such a big deal?" Trump shot back at a reporter. "The fact that we are getting along with the generals and admirals?" Classic Trump, flipping the script and making the media's gotcha moment look like a nothing-burger. 

"Remember, I'm the president of peace," he said, leaning into his brand. "It’s good to get along. You act like this is a bad thing. Isn't it nice that people are coming from all over the world to be with us?"

Cue Vice President JD Vance, who wasn't about to let the press run wild with this one. "It's not particularly unusual that generals who report to the Secretary of War and then to the President of the United States, are coming to speak with the Secretary of War," Vance said, his tone practically daring reporters to make a mountain out of this molehill. "It's actually not unusual at all, and I think it's odd that you guys have made it into such a big story."

Trump, sensing the room, couldn't resist piling on. "Is it a big story?" he asked, as Vance and other officials chuckled. "Isn't it a good story?"

So, what's the deal here? 

Is Hegseth staging a military coup, as The Post seems to imply, or is this just another day at the office for a Pentagon trying to get its ducks in a row? If you're betting on the latter, you're probably closer to the mark. The Trump team has been shaking things up, sure, but a meeting with generals isn't exactly the stuff of conspiracy theories. Maybe the real story is why the legacy media is so eager to turn a routine summit into a five-alarm fire. 

What do you think? Is it a shake up or just another day at the office?

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