Exclusive: Mark Kelly says he "hadn't heard" of Trump's defense secretary pick

• Kelly told Axios' Niala Boodhoo that he "hadn't heard of him until last night ... I don't watch a lot of Fox News." Hegseth is a weekend Fox News host.
• Kelly said he didn't want to weigh in on whether he thinks Hegseth's nomination will make it through the Senate, but said qualifications for the job include experience creating and implementing policies at large organizations.
• He also weighed in on other Trump cabinet picks, including applauding the selection of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as secretary of state.

Yes, but: Kelly scoffed at other Trump cabinet picks, including Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) for attorney general and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (R-Hi.) for director of national intelligence.

• "These are serious jobs, we need serious people," he said.

• Kelly said he was in a Senate Intelligence Committee briefing Wednesday when the Gaetz and Gabbard picks were announced and that lawmakers were "just kind of looking around the room" in shock.

Between the lines: Kelly also skewered a Trump plan to purge the Pentagon of senior generals, saying it is "unprecedented in our country's history."

• Kelly described the plan as a "test of some kind of loyalty" from generals.