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It’s a big week for Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly.
First, a poll pegged him as a leading contender for president in 2028 among Democratic voters, trailing only California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Now, he’s been named one of TIME Magazine’s top 100 most influential people in the world in 2026.
The 62-year-old Kelly largely owes his prominence to an ongoing feud with the Trump administration. Last year, the former astronaut and decorated Navy veteran made headlines last year for a video he posted on social media in which he and others in Congress told U.S. troops to ignore unlawful orders. That enraged President Donald Trump, who called the video “seditious” and called for Kelly’s execution.
Kelly made the video with five other members of Congress, all veterans of the U.S. military or intelligence services, in response to controversial U.S. strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean. The Trump administration then had Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth launch an investigation into Kelly to determine if he could be court-martialed. The administration also tried to strip him of his military pension and rank.
Kelly fought back against the probe, lawyering up and winning an early court battle over the Pentagon investigation. The saga raised his profile, landing him on podcasts, talk shows and news programs with national audiences.
“Kelly refused to back down, suing the Pentagon and emerging as one of the Democratic Party’s most visible antagonists of the Trump Administration,” TIME wrote. “Allies say Kelly, long seen as a disciplined but understated lawmaker, boosted his political standing in the process.”
Kelly was one of 24 “leaders” chosen for this year’s list. Pope Leo XIV, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, progressive New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Trump also made the cut. Others to make the top 100 in other categories were “The Pitt” actor Noah Wyle, activist Dolores Huerta and photojournalist Lynsey Addario.
This is not Kelly’s first time on the national stage. When President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race, Kelly was floated as a possible replacement for him on the ticket. When Kamala Harris solidified support as the nominee, Kelly was briefly considered as her running mate. Kelly has also been a prominent advocate for space exploration and for gun control alongside his wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords, who survived being shot in the head during a mass shooting in Tucson in 2011.
