Donald Trump effectively puts Kristi Noem go out to pasture Earlier this month, he turned to Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her as leader of the Department of National security. Under Noem, DHS came under a torrent of scrutiny from both the public and Congress, and this week Mullin will appear before his colleagues in the Senate to answer questions about his qualifications and explain why he is the man for the job.
The best thing Mullin has going for him is that Noem’s tenure at DHS was such a disaster. Trump fired her a day after the disaster of a congressional hearing in which members of both parties questioned her about a series of scandals, from her reckless response until Immigration and Customs Enforcement killed citizens in Minnesota earlier this year, until withholding FEMA disaster relief moneyto extravagant and potentially corrupt spending in television advertisements and private planes. DHS is currently closed because Democrats have refused to fund the agency in the wake of ICE’s terrorist campaign in Minnesota.
Until perhaps a few days before Trump announced Noem’s demotion to envoy to “America’s Shield” — a new security coalition the president just created — Mullin didn’t exactly seem like a candidate for a Cabinet-level role in the administration. The young senator from Oklahoma has not even completed half of his first term in the upper house, after a decade as a representative in the House.
Unlike Noem, Mullin does not shot a puppy or having been accused of using government aircraft to carry out an extramarital relationshipBut he is a colorful character in his own right, one who could soon be overseeing Trump’s brutal immigration crackdown. Here’s everything you need to know about the senator as he prepares to face the confirmation challenge.
Who is Markwayne Mullin?
Mullin is a native of Oklahoma and a member of the Cherokee Nation. His unique name is a combination of the names of his two maternal uncles; Her mother intended to cut it short eventually, but she stayed. Mullin is notably the only member of Congress who does not have a bachelor’s degree, although he completed an associate’s degree at Oklahoma State University’s Institute of Technology. Before running for office, Mullin ran his family’s plumbing business, hosted a syndicated home improvement radio show, and established himself as a successful businessman in the state.
Mullin first ran for Congress in 2012, running in Oklahoma’s 2nd District to replace then-outgoing Democratic Rep. Boren. Mullin, who presents himself as an outsider candidate focused on his profile as a successful businessman, managed to flip the Democratic-leaning district and held it for a full decade (despite promising his voters He would only serve three terms).
The rise of the MAGA movement led Mullin to reshape much of his political profile in Trump’s image, and in 2023 he managed to defeat a large Republican field to replace former Oklahoma senator Jim Inhofe.
How is Mullin qualified to lead the Department of Homeland Security?
It is not clear to be generous. Mullin does not appear to have much experience in any of the fields within the DHS purview. He has no experience in law enforcement or disaster relief (DHS oversees FEMA). The Trump administration and other Republicans who praised Trump’s decision to turn to Mullin have praised him for being tough on the border, but he has never served on a congressional committee that focuses on immigration. Mullin’s main qualification seems to be that he is an obedient supporter of Trump’s agenda who will do whatever Trump tells him, and that’s all the president seems to care about.
What’s the problem with Mullin’s finances?
Like many of his colleagues on Capitol Hill, Mullin has made millions from highly profitable stock investments. According to an analysis by several financial firms that track publicly available congressional financial data, Mullin is one of the more prosperous and profitable merchants from both chambers. According to his financial disclosures to Congress, his moderate wealth of between $3 million and $9 million in 2012 has increased. exploded to a net worth of between $29 million and $97 million in 2024.
Mullin’s portfolio attracted attention earlier this year when he divested a portion of a package of 2.8 million dollars of stock trading at Chevron days before the Trump administration launched an operation to arrest Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and take control of the country’s oil production. Chevron, the only US oil company operating in Venezuela, experienced a spectacular jump in its valuation after the operation.
Mullin came under fire from constituents and fellow journalists in 2017 after he publicly dismissed the idea that taxpayers supported his salary. “You’re saying you’re paying me to do this? That’s nonsense,” Mullin said. during an event at the town hall in Jay, Oklahoma. “I pay for myself. I paid enough taxes before I came here and I continue to pay my own salary through my company. This is a service. Nobody pays me to go here.”
However, taxpayers pay Mullin a salary of $174,000 annually to serve in the Senate. Mullin has been taking his salary from Congress throughout his time in elected office, but he is right to say that most of his wealth comes from elsewhere.
What’s the problem with Mullin trying to fight people in Congress?
Mullin is a journeyman amateur fighter who briefly dabbled in mixed martial arts before running for office. As a legislator, he introduced legislation intended to expand the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, a law passed in 2000 that sought to regulate boxing leagues and reduce corruption and exploitation within the sport, to include other combat sports such as MMA.
Unfortunately, his physique has not been entirely limited to sports during his tenure. Mullin made headlines in the fall of 2024 when He attempted to fight Teamsters President Sean O’Brien. during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing, threatening to get out of his seat and hit the witness with his bare knuckles. “Do you want to talk? We can be two consenting adults, we can end it here,” Mullin said, adjusting a ring on her hand. Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), then chairman of the committee, reminded Mullin that he was a “United States senator” and should act as such.
In a sign of the kind of politics Mullin had come to embrace, he claimed that he would have carried out his threats against O’Brien, had the scourge not stopped him. or “political correctness.”
More recently, Mullin was caught on C-Span cameras attempting physically tear a sign reading “Blacks are not apes” from Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) before Trump’s State of the Union address in February.
Why did Trump choose Mullin to replace Kristi Noem?
Like many administration officials elected to serve in the Trump administration, Mullin has spent a lot of time on right-wing television, primarily Fox News, and the president is, of course, well aware of how people talk about him on television.
Mullin’s recent appearances have been a bit iffy: In an interview he twice referred to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. as “President Hegseth” has insisted that the war against Iran is not a war even though he himself calls it that, and generated criticism for talking about how the “smell” and “taste” of war is something one never forgets even though he never served, but he has been a staunch supporter of Trump and his agenda.
CNN also recently reported on how Mullin is generally well-liked in the Senate and has gotten the right establishment allies in Congress while remaining loyal to MAGA hardliners. His confirmation could still be controversial. Mullin will likely be questioned by lawmakers about his stance on the clear falsehoods spread by DHS after the ICE raid in Minnesota, as Mullin has. repeated complaints that Alex Pretti – one of two high-profile murders committed by border patrol agents in the city – was a “deranged individual” who intended to cause “massive harm” to law enforcement.
Serving as a spokesperson for the administration appears to be the main reason Mullin is suited for the job. Ash Sen. Rubén Gallego (D-Ariz.) recently he told CNN“Mullin’s not the problem. The problem is, I’m not sure Mullin is going to be in charge.”
