Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly (D) drew criticism from conservative commentators after posting photos of himself and his wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords, wearing Mexico soccer jerseys while attending a World Cup watch party in Tucson.
Kelly shared the images Sunday on X as fans gathered to watch Mexico take on England in a World Cup match.
“Lots of people out in Tucson to watch Mexico take on England. Tucson and La Rosa sure know how to do the World Cup,” Kelly wrote alongside several photos from the event.
The post quickly sparked backlash from a number of conservative figures on social media.
OutKick founder and Fox News contributor Clay Travis responded by writing, “Surprised you weren’t wearing an Iran jersey, senator.”
Conservative commentator @catturd2 called Kelly a “traitor,” while commentator @GuntherEagleman described the Arizona Democrat as “a disgrace to America.”
CNN political commentator Scott Jennings also weighed in, writing, “Modern Democratic Party: wear another country’s jersey and post a photo of yourself taking a photo of yourself.”
Former Trump adviser Steve Cortes criticized Kelly as well, arguing that an American senator should not wear another nation’s jersey while the United States is competing in the same tournament.
The match itself ended with England defeating Mexico 3-2 in a closely contested game featuring a red card, two penalty kicks and several lead changes.
England advanced to the next round of the tournament, while the United States prepared to face Belgium in its Round of 16 matchup.
Social media criticism continued after England’s victory, with one widely shared AI-generated image depicting England captain Harry Kane wearing an Immigration and Customs Enforcement uniform.
The accompanying caption read, “Hope he enjoyed watching Mexico get deported from the World Cup,” referencing Kelly’s attendance at the watch party.
The Daily Mail reported that Kelly’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the criticism.
Kelly, a retired U.S. Navy captain, former NASA astronaut and senior senator from Arizona, has previously faced criticism from conservatives over his political positions and public appearances.
Earlier this year, Kelly participated in a video featuring several Democratic lawmakers encouraging members of the military to question what they viewed as unlawful orders from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other Pentagon officials.
Supporters argued the message emphasized service members’ obligation to follow lawful orders, while critics accused the lawmakers of undermining military leadership.
Kelly was not the only public official to wear non-U.S. soccer apparel during the tournament.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, attended World Cup events earlier in the competition wearing customized “New York City” jerseys instead of Team USA apparel, per the Daily Mail.
Arizona has one of the nation’s largest Mexican-American populations, and Tucson has long celebrated cultural and sporting ties with neighboring Mexico, particularly during international soccer competitions.
