WASHINGTON — Sen. Markwayne Mullin, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, faced fellow senators on Wednesday at a confirmation hearing.
And it didn’t begin well for the Oklahoma Republican, who has been tapped to take over DHS at a crucial time. The U.S. is locked in a war with Iran and the Trump administration faces a backlash for its aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. DHS funding lapsed on Feb. 13, leading to major delays at airports, and the two parties haven’t reached a deal.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., the chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, used his opening statement to confront Mullin for reportedly calling him a “freaking snake” and saying he “completely” understands why a neighbor assaulted Paul in 2017.
“Tell me to my face why you think I deserved it,” Paul told Mullin, while also bringing up Mullin’s attempt to challenge a labor union leader to a fight during a 2023 committee hearing. “And while you’re at it, explain to the American public why they should trust a man with anger issues to set the proper example for ICE and border patrol agents.”
“I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force,” Paul said.
Mullin sat quietly and watched as the ranking member, Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., then took the mic to give his opening statement.
“While I’m interested in hearing more about your vision for leading the department, I do have reservations about your readiness to take on such a significant role at such a critical time,” Peters told him, while calling on Mullin to give a candid assessment of how the Trump administration is performing.
Mullin has been picked to take over for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, whom Trump fired earlier this month after a rocky tenure. The president has selected Mullin to replace her by March 31, although he still needs to be confirmed by the Senate first.
Republicans control 53 seats in the chamber, and Mullin needs 50 senators to secure confirmation. Early expectations are that he will get enough votes in the end, as Republican senators have been deferential to Trump’s picks.
But the initial clash suggests it may not be smooth sailing for him to secure unanimous support from Republicans, who hold an 8-7 majority on the committee.
“I have to address remarks the chairman made calling me a liar. Sir, I think there’s— everybody in this room knows that I’m very blunt and direct to the point. And if I have something to say, I’ll say it directly to your face,” Mullin said.
The senator did not deny making the remarks or apologize to Paul.
“It seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us,” he told Paul. “We just don’t get along.”
“As far as me saying that I invoke violence, I don’t. I don’t think anybody should be hit by surprise. I don’t like that,” Mullin told Paul, while adding: “Let me earn your respect.”
“I’m not perfect. I don’t claim to be perfect,” he said.
Mullin first became a senator in 2023 after serving in the House for a decade prior to that.
Paul persisted Wednesday in demanding that Mullin answer for his comments about the Kentucky senator getting violently assaulted by a neighbor years ago.
“I did not say I supported it. I said I understood it,” Mullin said.
Paul played a montage of Mullin threatening to fight Teamsters President Sean O’Brien at a Senate hearing, to which Mullin noted that “my good friend Sean O’Brien” was sitting behind him and that the two have since reconciled their differences.
“Sir, I get it. It’s about character assassination for you. That’s the way this game is played. I understand it,” Mullin told Paul. “And you are making this about you.”