Stephen A. Smith criticized Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) for appearing in a video now viral along with five other Democratic legislators, in which they encouraged military service members to disobey illegal orders from President Donald Trump’s administration.

During Wednesday’s episode of his SiriusXM show “Straight Shooter,” the sportscaster argued that Kelly, a retired Navy captain, “crossed the line” and “had no business” getting the message across.

In addition to 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.), all of whom have military and intelligence experience, also appeared in the images that have since racked up more than 18 million views on X.

“How dare you do that? I’m not a military man and I know better,” Smith said. “But you know better, Senator Kelly. You know better.”

The ESPN host went on to chide the Arizona senator for not going through the “necessary process” to address his concerns about the Trump administration’s orders.

“You are an elected official in the nation’s capital. We have a constitution. You have a problem: You have to go through the necessary process,” he said. “Whether it be [House Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries in the house o [Senate Minority Leader Chuck] Schumer in the Senate or anyone else.”

Smith added: “That’s the point… you don’t go in front of cameras and give military officers or military personnel a directive to ignore their commander in chief.”

Stephen A. Smith criticized Sen. Mark Kelly during Wednesday's episode of his SiriusXM show “Straight Shooter.”
Stephen A. Smith criticized Sen. Mark Kelly during Wednesday’s episode of his SiriusXM show “Straight Shooter.”

Fake Images/YouTube.

Noting that he has family and friends who have served in all four branches of the military, he stated that “none of them [said] that [the video] it was ok”.

Smith later said that Kelly could have “started[ed] articles of impeachment if you think there is something illegal [going on].”

“I mean, damn, it’s not like they haven’t done it before. [Trump] twice,” he continued. “Where did that get you? Got [Trump’s] behind in the White House. If they had left him alone since 2020, maybe he wouldn’t have terrorized the Democratic Party like he does.”

Trump was impeached twice during his first presidency, but was acquitted by the US Senate in both cases.

Elsewhere in the episode, Smith questioned why Kelly and his fellow Democrats didn’t identify what the illegal orders were.

“You didn’t tell us what it was…Is Trump giving illegal orders? What are the illegal orders? How come you didn’t tell us?” [what they were]? Where is the evidence? he added.

Smith’s comments came after the Department of Defense announced Monday on X that it will open an investigation into Kelly following the release of the video.

Trump called the video “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR” on social media and reposted a message calling for the lawmakers to be executed.

Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense called the video “despicable, reckless and false” in an X publication, while White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Democratic legislators are trying to “sow chaos and mistrust.”

Meanwhile, Republican Senators John Curtis (Utah) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) defended Kelly in X positions amid the Pentagon investigation into “serious allegations of misconduct” against the senator.

Watch Smith’s “Straight Shooter” show below.

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