No one could believe the image.
The left is in panic mode.
And now the knives are out after this top Democrat got caught in a compromising photo.
Green Jersey, Wrong Country
Kelly posted a photo of himself and his wife, former Democrat Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, on X, both wearing Mexican green — despite the USA still being in the tournament.
Kelly captioned the post, “Lots of people out in Tucson to watch Mexico take on England. Tucson and La Rosa sure know how to do the World Cup!”
The post quickly went viral online, garnering millions of views and thousands of replies from frustrated USMNT fans who were furious that a sitting US senator had chosen to jump on board with the US neighbor and soccer rival.
Kelly offered no explanation for the choice. His post contained no acknowledgment that the United States had its own team in the tournament, no nod to the optics of a sitting US senator publicly cheering for a rival nation. Just a breezy caption about Tucson’s party atmosphere.
Former Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin cut right to it: “It’s your country’s 250th birthday. Where’s your USA jersey?”
Philadelphia-based talk radio host Nick Kayal wrote on social media, “Democrat Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona wearing a Mexico jersey for the World Cup as America is in the round of 16. This is a total violation.” Former Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker replied to Kelly’s post directly, stating, “What a f***ing clown. Move to Mexico, asshat.”
OutKick founder Clay Travis asked, “What do we think about US politicians putting on jerseys from another country — in a tournament the US is playing in — and rooting for the foreign country in public?” adding, “Zero percent chance any American sports fans I know would do this.”
CNN’s Scott Jennings drew his own parallel: “Modern Democratic Party: wear another country’s jersey and post a photo of yourself taking a photo of yourself.”
One fan put it plainly: “A US senator wearing a Mexico jersey. Disgusting.”
Another added: “Mexico is a huge rival of United States in soccer. Everybody knows this. I don’t know who advised you to put on a Mexican jersey as an American politician but it’s a horrible look.”
Mexico ultimately lost to England 3-2, eliminating them from the tournament. Kelly’s team went home. So did Kelly’s stunt.
Though Kelly embraced Team Mexico, he did not comment on some of the unsportsmanlike behavior displayed by the team’s fans. Before the game, Mexican fans played loud music and set off fireworks outside England’s hotel to keep the team awake, as they had done to Ecuador’s team before their match.
The Mexican Federation had already been handed several fines by FIFA for their fans’ conduct, and the expectation was that another would be on its way. None of that made it into Kelly’s cheerful caption.
The Jersey Is the Least of His Problems
For a senator from a border state, the optics of this stunt run deeper than soccer fandom.
For a senator who represents a border state where illegal immigration ranks among voters’ top concerns, the Mexico jersey photo landed in an already-loaded political environment. Kelly has drawn scrutiny from the Pentagon after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accused him of publicly discussing details from a classified briefing, a matter referred to Pentagon lawyers for review.
Hegseth suggested Kelly may have violated his oath by discussing a classified Pentagon briefing on weapons stockpiles. In November 2025, the Pentagon launched an investigation into Kelly, pointing to a federal law that allows retired service members to be recalled to active duty on orders of the secretary for possible court-martial or other punishment.
Hegseth slammed the retired Navy captain and former astronaut for expressing concern on CBS’ Face the Nation over US weapons stockpiles amid the Iran war, saying Kelly was “blabbing on TV” about a classified Pentagon briefing he received.
Hegseth wrote on X, “‘Captain’ Mark Kelly strikes again. Now he’s blabbing on TV (falsely and dumbly) about a *CLASSIFIED* Pentagon briefing he received. Did he violate his oath… again? @DeptofWar legal counsel will review.”
And that was the second investigation. The first one was arguably worse.
The Pentagon said it investigated Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, a retired US Navy fighter pilot and NASA astronaut, for possible violations of military law after he appeared in a video with other Democrat lawmakers urging active duty military and intelligence personnel to refuse “illegal orders.”
Kelly, a Democrat elected in 2020, joined five other House and Senate Democrats who also served in the armed forces or an intelligence branch in a video on X. In it, Kelly and the others said: “This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens. Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution.” “Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon was taking steps to downgrade Democrat Senator Mark Kelly’s military retirement rank and pay because of his “seditious statements.”
In the censure letter, Hegseth said Kelly had “directly attacked the legitimacy of military leadership and the lawfulness of their orders,” had said things that “directly prejudice good order and discipline” and had “engaged in conduct that seriously compromises your standing as an officer and brings dishonor to the officer corps.”
Hegseth censured Kelly and attempted to retroactively demote him from his retired rank of captain over his participation in the video. But a federal court ruling blocked the Pentagon from demoting the lawmaker over the video.
What Arizona Voters Are Watching
Kelly is up for reelection in 2028 in a state that Donald Trump carried. Kelly’s next reelection campaign is in 2028. He won his current full six-year term in November 2022, defeating Trump-backed Blake Masters by 5.4 points. That margin may not hold when voters get a full look at the record.
And the record is not exactly border-hawk material. Kelly co-founded the advocacy group Americans for Responsible Solutions with his wife Gabby Giffords in 2013. In 2016, Americans for Responsible Solutions merged with the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, and the organization was renamed Giffords. The organization says it “fight[s] for stronger gun laws, hold[s] the gun lobby accountable, and support[s] candidates who stand for safer schools and communities.”
So the senator from a border state who cheers for Mexico, co-founded a gun control group, urged troops to defy the chain of command, and allegedly leaked classified weapons data on national television is positioning himself as the reasonable moderate Arizonans should trust in 2028.
But the Mexico jersey tells a different story. The scale of the backlash — millions of views, thousands of critical replies — suggests this was not a manufactured controversy. It touched a nerve because it confirmed what many of Kelly’s critics already believed: that the senator’s loyalties are misaligned with the people he serves.
Fair or not, symbols carry weight in politics. When a senator from a border state that has borne enormous costs from illegal immigration chooses to publicly root for Mexico over any other option available to him, voters notice.
And they will still be noticing in 2028.
Sources: Breitbart, Mediaite, The Daily Caller, The Blaze, The Gateway Pundit, Fox News, NPR, NBC News, The National Desk, Conservative Institute