NPR
Sen. Mullin faces confirmation hearing to lead Homeland Security Department
+1302 words added -1035 words removed
− Ximena Bustillo
GOP Sen.
+ Ximena Bustillo
Sen.
− Markwayne Mullin's confirmation hearing to lead the Homeland Security Department kicked off with a criticism of his conduct by fellow Republican Sen.
+ Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., testifies during a confirmation hearing to be the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on March 18.
+ President Trump nominated Mullin to replace Kristi Noem as DHS Secretary. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption
The confirmation hearing for Sen. Markwayne Mullin, President Trump's outspoken pick to replace Kristi Noem as the head of DHS, grew heated Wednesday, especially during a grilling by one of Mullin's fellow Republican lawmakers.
Mullin faced intense questioning about political violence, some of his prior combative remarks and his vision for the sprawling agency.
President Trump selected the Oklahoma Republican for the job earlier this month after removing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem from the role. Trump's post announcing Mullin's nomination suggested his missive from the White House was largely in line with Noem's approach.
National TSA workers miss a full paycheck, while travelers keep paying airport security fees "Markwayne will work tirelessly to Keep our Border Secure, Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country, End the Scourge of Illegal Drugs and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN," Trump wrote.
The swap in leadership comes after a tumultuous few months at DHS. An immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota resulted in protests and the deaths of two U.S. citizens. The agency is currently shut down as Democrats push for changes to how immigration officers operate.
Mullin's nomination would need to be approved by the committee before being voted on by the entire Senate. The Senate could hold a final vote to approve his confirmation as soon as next week.
Here are the top five moments from the hearing:
Mullin's confirmation hearing to lead the Homeland Security Department kicked off with a criticism of his conduct by fellow Republican, Sen.
− "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 [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and border patrol agents.."
Paul also went into detail about a recent interaction he had with Mullin. Mullin, who voted against a measure put forth by Paul related to funding of refugee welfare programs, described Paul as a "freaking snake" after receiving criticism for his vote. Mullin responded by reiterating that he did say he understood why Paul's neighbor would have attacked him.
+ "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 [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and Border Patrol agents."
Mullin said that he could set their differences aside if Paul agreed to.
− "I'll come straight to you. I'll say it publicly and I'll say it privately, but I'll never say it behind your back," Mullin said. "We just don't get along, however, sir, that doesn't keep me at all from doing my job."
Watch Paul's opening statement:
Mullin said that he could set their differences aside if Paul agreed to.
− Mullin's nomination would need to be approved by the committee before being voted on by the entire Senate, which would require more than one Republican voting against him.
+ Paul also played a compilation of clips where Mullin threatened to fight Sean O'Brien, the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union, and appeared to endorse caning and physical violence.
− President Trump selected Mullin for the post earlier this month after announcing that he would remove DHS Secretary Kristi Noem from running the agency and instead appoint her as Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, a regional coalition of Latin American countries.
+ O'Brien, who was sitting in the audience in support of Mullin, has since made amends with the Oklahoma senator.
− The swap in leadership comes after a tumultuous few months at DHS.
+ Sean O'Brien (R), General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, looks on as Sen.
− An immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota resulted in protests and the deaths of two U.S.
+ Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., nominee to be Secretary of Homeland Security, testifies during a Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs confirmation hearing on March 18.
− citizens.
+ Oliver Contreras/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
"If anyone is willing to stand their butt up to protect America, it's Markwayne Mullin," O'Brien said in a statement prior to the hearing.
− Noem faced bipartisan criticism for her handling of their deaths and oversight of immigration enforcement more broadly, as well as spending at the department and management of disaster relief.
+ In a moment of bipartisan scrutiny, Paul and Sen.
− She becomes the first Cabinet secretary to leave the administration in Trump's second term.
The agency is currently shut down as Democrats push for changes to how immigration officers operate.
+ Gary Peters, D-Mich., also both raised concerns about Mullin's foreign travel.
− Over 100,000 employees are furloughed or working without pay, including those who have nothing to do with immigration, such as workers in the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
+ They questioned Mullin about where he had traveled to where he "smelled" war — as he put it — and why those were not disclosed on federal reports. The issue was set to be further discussed behind closed doors as some lawmakers asked for a confidential briefing.
− Mullin is expected to face questions from the Homeland Security Committee about his response to the recent turmoil — as well as what tone he takes on mass deportations and internal oversight at DHS.
"How the Homeland Security Secretary responds to a crisis sends signals to everyone from the department's own personnel, to the American people, and to the entire world," the committee's top Democrat, Sen.
+ One of the biggest sources of bipartisan criticism of Noem was her quick labeling of Alex Pretti — the 37-year-old U.S.
− Gary Peters, Mich., is set to say in his prepared opening remarks, which were shared with NPR.
+ citizen shot and killed by Customs and Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis in January — as an action of "domestic terrorism."
Politics What you need to know about Sen.
− "It's not the role of the secretary to be a cable news commentator in the wake of a crisis."
Peters noted that while he is interested in learning more about Mullin's vision for leading the department, he has reservations about Mullin's "readiness to take on such a significant role at such a critical time."
National TSA workers miss a full paycheck, while travelers keep paying airport security fees Trump's post announcing Mullin's nomination suggested his missive from the White House was largely in line with Noem's approach.
+ Markwayne Mullin, Trump's new pick to lead DHS Mullin was also asked about comments he made about Pretti after the incident. At the time, he called Pretti a "deranged individual that came in to cause max damage."
"Those words probably should have been retracted, I shouldn't have said that," Mullin said on Wednesday, vowing to refrain from responding with similar quick-take statements if confirmed. "There's sometimes going to [be a] mistake, and I'll own it. That one, I went out there too fast. I was responding immediately without the facts."
Mullin was also asked about his justification of the shooting of Renee Macklin Good, another U.S. citizen who was shot and killed by an ICE officer in Minneapolis in January.
− "Markwayne will work tirelessly to Keep our Border Secure, Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country, End the Scourge of Illegal Drugs and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN," Trump wrote.
Mullin has spent over a decade on Capitol Hill.
+ Mullin has said officers "are red-blooded American patriots doing a tough job to keep our nation safe" and accused Good of using her car as a weapon.
− He was first elected to the House in 2012 and then the Senate in 2022.
+ On Wednesday, he doubled down on those claims.
− Politics What you need to know about Sen.
+ "It's very clear that an officer had to make a split decision in that case, whereas the car was running towards him and did strike him at that point, that car becomes a lethal weapon," Mullin told Sen.
− Markwayne Mullin, Trump's new pick to lead DHS Mullin's nomination has received some support from a wide range of groups — including from Sean O'Brien, the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union whom Mullin threatened to fight during a hearing.
+ Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.
− "If anyone is willing to stand their butt up to protect America, it's Markwayne Mullin," O'Brien said in a statement.
Republican Sen.
+ Mullin told senators that his goal in the next six months is to make sure the agency "is not in the lead story every single day."
"My goal is for people to understand we're out there.
− Thom Tillis — who had lambasted Noem over disaster relief spending and immigration enforcement — called Mullin a "great guy and a great choice to lead DHS, restore competence, and refocus efforts on quickly distributing disaster aid, keeping the border secure, and targeting violent illegal immigrants for deportation."
Immigration Top 5 takeaways from the House immigration oversight hearing Democrats were generally united in their criticism.
+ We're protecting them, and we're working with them," he said.
− "Kristi Noem slipped on the outrages of ICE.
+ Immigration Internal review contradicts White House narrative of Pretti's death 3.
− Will this Oklahoma Senator be any better?" Sen.
+ Mullin aims to highlight bipartisanship Mullin made an effort to underscore his goal of working across party lines.
− Dick Durbin said in a statement.
+ To illustrate that point, he brought Rep.
− "We will find out as the Senate exercises its authority under the Constitution to provide advice and consent on this appointment."
Mullin is also likely to face questions about his financial disclosures, the latest of which include the purchase of stock of UnitedHealth Group and sale of shares of Autozone and Intuit Inc., according to Capitol Trades, which tracks politicians' financial transactions.
+ Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from North Carolina, who sat behind Mullin, near O'Brien.
Immigration Top 5 takeaways from the House immigration oversight hearing Gottheimer and Mullin, whose close friendship dates back to Mullin's time in the House, joined a centrist political group called "no labels."
"Josh and I were raised different, just like everybody on this dais is raised different than me … but we all believe in that flag right there behind you," Mullin said.
− Mullin is a frequent stock trader, and some lawmakers have sought to ban stock trading by politicians in order to raise accountability in Congress.
+ "And as long as you love that flag as much as I do, and you're willing to die for that flag like I am, we can work together."
He also received words of support from Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania.
− Politics A bipartisan bill to ban lawmakers from trading stocks is unveiled in the House Mullin has defended Trump's DHS Mullin does not sit on either the Homeland Security or Judiciary committees, the two committees that deal most directly with immigration policy.
+ "It's about letting it go and moving on," Fetterman said regarding Mullin's past outbursts.
− But he has supported the president's immigration agenda over the past year.
+ "I committed to come here with an open mind, and I'm going to continue to do that, and it's not going to be about 'got you moments' for me, it's about just saying my experience with you has been consistent kindness and professionalism."
Still, support for the nominee largely tended to follow party lines.
− On the day that U.S.
+ Minneapolis shootings and protests Alex Pretti shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis prompts DOJ civil rights probe 4.
− citizen Renee Macklin Good was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, Mullin said officers "are red-blooded American patriots doing a tough job to keep our nation safe" and accused Good of using her car as a weapon.
+ DHS shutdown continues as Democrats demand changes in enforcement Republicans used the hearing as an opportunity to criticize the shutdown, now in its fourth week, and blame Democrats
Currently, over 100,000 employees are furloughed or working without pay, including those who have nothing to do with immigration, such as workers in the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
− "If they're investigating anything, they need to be investigating the paid protestors paying them to obstruct federal officers from doing their job," Mullin said on CNN's The Source.
+ Politics 5 things to know about the shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security "We're playing with fire," Mullin said in his opening statement. "I hope we can work together and get them funded. So when I walk in, if I'm fortunate enough to be confirmed, if I walk in as secretary that these guys are ready to go to work day one."
Democrats have attempted and failed several times to pass a standalone measure to fund other parts of DHS, with the exception of immigration enforcement agencies.
− Minneapolis shootings and protests Alex Pretti shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis prompts DOJ civil rights probe He has echoed DHS claims that death threats against ICE agents are up 8,000%, a number DHS has not corroborated with specific data sets, and has supported the stripping of Temporary Protected Status for people from Somalia.
+ Mullin said he believed the Federal Emergency Management Agency needed to be restructured — and not eliminated.
− A final vote to approve his confirmation could take place as soon as next week.
+ He added that he was committed to nominating a permanent administrator for the agency.
+ But Mullin also deflected questions regarding who won the 2020 election and whether he would place DHS uniformed officers at polling locations throughout the midterms. (Among other things, DHS focuses on election security, including providing grants to states.)
"The only reason why my officers would be there is if there was a specific threat for them to be there, not for intimidation," Mullin said.