ICYMI: On Meet the Press, Kelly Calls Trump’s War in Iran a Disaster for the American People

In case you missed it, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly joined NBC’s Meet the Press with Kristen Welker to underscore how disastrous President Trump’s Iran war has been for the American people and the troops. Kelly also warned about the military’s dwindling munitions supply and pushed back on the administration’s request for a $1.5 trillion defense budget. Sen. Kelly speaks to Kristen Welker. Watch the full conversation here . See key excepts below: On Trump’s failed strategy in Iran and the cost to the American people… “This thing has been a disaster, and it’s been a disaster for the American people in a time when they couldn’t afford their lives. This president gets us into this war and costs then continue to skyrocket. The price of gas, $4.50 a gallon here in Arizona, over $4 a gallon across the country. People can’t afford groceries and rent. This thing has been a disaster, and they do not know what to do. “This war was a mistake. He got into this without a strategic goal. He got into this without thinking about the consequences to the American people and to our troops. We have 18 killed servicemembers at this point.” On the military’s dwindling munitions supply… “We’ve expended tens of thousands of weapons. And it takes, as Pete Hegseth said in the committee hearing when I asked him this question, it’s going to take years to replenish these. This is by their own making. They’re not keeping track there. At this point, this president and the people around him are incompetent.” On the administration’s request for a $1.5 trillion defense budget… “They’re also asking for $1.5 trillion for the defense budget this year and a supplemental. When I got to the Senate just five and a half years ago, the defense budget was $740 billion. It’s more than doubled in five and a half years. We’re now approaching numbers of what the rest of the world combined spends on defense. “If we had some competent people running this department, you could figure out how do you defend our nation in a way and give the troops what they need within a reasonable budget. What they’re asking for is not reasonable.”