The Fox News host backed Trump’s threats to Mark Kelly in a way that sounded alarmingly familiar.

Fox News personality Jesse Watters ignited a wave of backlash Monday night after openly supporting former President Donald Trump’s menacing warnings toward Sen. Mark Kelly — comments that critics say echoed authoritarian language.

Watters, speaking on The Five, praised Trump for his aggressive response after the Pentagon announced it was investigating Kelly, a retired Navy captain, former astronaut, and Arizona Democrat. The controversy exploded after Kelly appeared in a video alongside five other Democratic lawmakers with military or intelligence backgrounds, urging service members to refuse illegal orders.

Trump reacted with fury, accusing the group of treason and even suggesting execution, while the Defense Department said Kelly could potentially be activated and court‑martialed.

“This is what we expect from Donald Trump 2.0,” Watters says

Watters did not distance himself from Trump’s language — instead, he embraced it.

“I’m glad that the U.S. military is now investigating this guy Kelly because this is what we expect from Donald Trump 2.0,” he said.
“You can’t have the deep state interfering with a duly elected presidency and get away with it. You gotta draw the line in the sand, and you have to make examples out of people.”

The Fox host’s references to “deep state” and “making examples” immediately triggered alarm bells among political observers, many of whom flocked to X to voice concern over what they saw as creeping authoritarian rhetoric.

Critics Sound the Alarm: “This is how tyranny rehearses itself”

Reactions on social media were swift — and scathing.

“Thanks for saying the quiet authoritarian part out loud,” one critic wrote.
In another post, the same user added:
“Jesse Watters really thinks America runs on fear and revenge, not laws and rights.”

Another observer wrote:

“When power starts calling dissent ‘an example,’ it isn’t enforcing order — it’s rehearsing tyranny.”

Kennedy Joins In With FAFO Remark

Adding to the tension on set, fellow panelist Kennedy — the former MTV VJ turned political commentator — chimed in supportively, applying internet slang to the situation.

“I think that Sen. Kelly might have violated the FAFO doctrine, and he’s gonna find out the hard way that there unfortunately are consequences,” she said, referencing the phrase “f*** around, find out.”

Her remark drew both laughter and shock, underscoring how normalized the rhetoric has become in some conservative media spaces.

A Chilling Echo of Trump’s Hardline Messaging

The escalating language comes as Trump and his allies continue intensifying their rhetoric toward political opponents, especially those with military backgrounds who speak out publicly. Kelly — a decorated veteran, former astronaut, and sitting U.S. senator — is now the latest target.

Watters’ comments, viewed by critics as an endorsement of punishing political dissent, have amplified fears of what a second Trump term might look like — particularly when the language shifts from political bluster to calls for military discipline, “examples,” and retribution.

With the Pentagon now reviewing the issue and the political temperature rising, the controversy surrounding Kelly may only be the beginning.