Stephen A. Smith railed at Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) for showing in a now-viral video alongside 5 different Democratic lawmakers, through which they inspired army service members to disobey unlawful orders from President Donald Trump’s administration.
Throughout Wednesday’s episode of his “Straight Shooter” SiriusXM present, the sports activities commentator argued that Kelly, a retired Navy captain, “crossed the line” and had “no business” delivering the message.
Along with Kelly, Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.), Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), and Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), who all have army and intelligence backgrounds, additionally appeared within the footage that has since amassed 18 million-plus views on X.
“How dare you do that? I’m not a military person, and I know better than that,” Smith stated. “But you know better, Senator Kelly. You know better.”
The ESPN host went on to rebuke the Arizona senator for not having gone by the “necessary process” to handle his issues concerning the Trump administration’s orders.
“You are an elected official in the nation’s capital. We have a constitution. You got a problem — you go through the necessary process,” he stated. “Whether it’s [House Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries in the house or [Senate Minority Leader Chuck] Schumer in the Senate or anybody else.”
Smith added, “That is the point… you don’t go in front of the cameras and give military officers or military personnel a directive to ignore their commander-in-chief.”
Noting that he has members of the family and buddies who’ve served in all 4 branches of the army, he claimed that “not one of them [said] that [the video] was OK.”
Smith then stated that Kelly may’ve “start[ed] articles of impeachment if you think there’s something illegal [going on].”
“I mean, damn it ain’t like y’all haven’t done it before. You impeached [Trump] twice,” he continued. “Where did that get you? Got [Trump’s] behind back in the White House. Had you left him alone since 2020, maybe he wouldn’t be back terrorizing the Democratic Party the way that he is.”
Trump was impeached twice throughout his first presidency, however was acquitted by the U.S. Senate in each circumstances.
Elsewhere within the episode, Smith questioned why Kelly and his fellow Democrats didn’t establish what the unlawful orders have been.
“You didn’t tell us what it was … Trump is giving illegal orders? What are the illegal orders? How come you didn’t tell us [what they were]? Where’s the evidence?” he added.
Smith’s feedback got here after the Division of Protection introduced Monday on X that it’s opening an investigation into Kelly following the video’s launch.
Trump referred to as the video “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR” on social media and reposted a message that referred to as for the lawmakers to be executed.
Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth referred to as the video “despicable, reckless, and false” in an X put up, whereas White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Democratic lawmakers of making an attempt to “sow chaos and distrust.”
In the meantime, GOP Senators John Curtis (Utah) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) defended Kelly in X posts amid the Pentagon probe into “serious allegations of misconduct” towards the senator.
Watch Smith’s “Straight Shooter” present beneath.
