ICYMI: With McKay Coppins, Kelly Speaks Out on Political Violence, Misuse of Military and Masked ICE Agents, and the Need for Responsible Leadership

"To have somebody who is leading this country to focus on that as a mission, to bring us together and unite us and talk about values and what has created this great cohesive country, that would be huge."

In case you missed it, in a wide-ranging interview with Deseret Voices' McKay Coppins, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly spoke candidly about his personal experience with political violence, the dangers of deploying the military and masked ICE agents against communities, the urgent need to give border agents the tools to stop fentanyl trafficking, and President Donald Trump's role in dividing the country.

Kelly emphasized that leaders have a responsibility to reduce political tensions and that law enforcement must uphold the law and protect communities responsibly.

Sen. Kelly speaks to McKay Coppins on Deseret Voices

Watch the full interview here. See key excepts below:

On his initial reaction to Charlie Kirk's assassination…

"That day came, just kind of rushing back to me when one of my staff members showed me the video. […] That moment is when I just immediately thought back to what happened with Gabby. And it's just one more time in our country's history. One of these things. I think there are other things, but just makes us stand out in the worst of ways."

On the need for leaders to step up to calm political tensions…

"I think people think this is them against us, and we're somehow marching towards some kind of civil war. I don't believe that. I think we've got to figure out ways to turn down the temperature here. It's up to us, people like myself and others in leadership positions to help the country move forward.

I think it's also fair to say that we have a president who looks for every opportunity to divide us. He's got the exact opposite instinct of every other president we've had in my lifetime. And I think it's probably fair to say, every other president this country has ever had. I mean, can anybody think of one time that when something major has happened in our country that Donald Trump became the unifier? I can't."

On why America needs a unifying president right now…

"The number one thing that could happen right now to reduce the amount and the threat of political violence would be for the president to say, 'Hey, we're all Americans. We are all in this together. We've got differences of opinion. But Democrats are not my enemy, and the Republicans are not the enemy of the Democrats.'

That is definitely true here on Capitol Hill, where we've got great relationships with my Republican colleagues. We don't agree on everything and we often have to verbally fight it out on the floor over policy, but to have somebody who is leading this country to focus on that as a mission, to bring us together and unite us and talk about values and what has created this great cohesive country, that would be huge.

On the dangers of deploying the military against Americans…

"I'm the son of two cops. We want safe communities. We want safe streets. But to use the United States Army and the National Guard in this role just sends a message about the purpose of the military. […] Is it really about crime and safer communities, or is he trying to send a message that he has this political tool that he is willing to use against the American people?

On ICE agents wearing masks…

"Don't have bad interactions with people. Do the job in a respectful way and follow the law. By the way, you don't have to follow unlawful orders. That's true for the military. I think it's true for federal law enforcement, too. Nobody can tell you to break the law. You can't be told to violate people's constitutional rights. People have to stand up and say, 'No, I'm not going to do that.' […]

I'd like to see them wearing an ID, not wearing masks, and telling Stephen Miller or Kristi Noem that, 'we will follow the law and there are limits to what we will do and we're not violating people's constitutional rights.' There's evidence that the deported American citizens and they're breaking up communities."

On giving border agents the tools they need to stop fentanyl trafficking…

"[Fentanyl] doesn't come from Venezuela, but it actually comes through the border, the land border […]. I have seen it. I represent a border state. I spent a lot of time down there. We put in legislation the ability for them to get more technology at the southern border to combat that fentanyl smuggling and other tools to prevent fentanyl from coming into the United States. The president could do a lot more on that front."