Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, the quintessential avatar of Hollywood’s detached elite, recently took to the airwaves to demonstrate exactly why &#8220;flyover country&#8221; has tuned him out.
In a segment dripping with the kind of coastal condescension that has become his trademark, Kimmel mocked President Donald Trump’s selection of Markwayne Mullin to lead the Department of Homeland Security, sneering at Mullin’s background as a business owner and tradesman.
Kimmel, whose primary life skill involves reading teleprompters in a climate-controlled studio, took aim at Mullin’s blue-collar roots.
&#8220;Before he was elected to the Senate, Markwayne Mullin was a low-level MMA fighter and a plumber,&#8221; Kimmel smirked, before launching into a hackneyed Super Mario joke. &#8220;We have a plumber protecting us from terrorism now.&#8221;
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Jimmy Kimmel doesn&#39;t think Markwayne Mullin is qualified to be the Secretary of Homeland Security because he used to be plumber, &quot;Before he was elected to the Senate, Markwayne Mullin was a low-level MMA fighter and a plumber. That&#39;s right. We have a plumber protecting us from… <a href="https://t.co/KT81mBIUOV">pic.twitter.com/KT81mBIUOV</a>
&mdash; Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) <a href="https://twitter.com/alexchristy17/status/2036791893686726762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The irony is apparently lost on Kimmel: while he spent his youth chasing laughs in the entertainment industry, Mullin was overcoming actual adversity. Born with a clubfoot that required multiple surgeries, Mullin eventually earned a wrestling scholarship and, at just 20 years old, took over his father’s struggling plumbing business. He didn&#8217;t just &#8220;fix pipes&#8221;; he built one of the largest service companies in the region, illustrating the exact kind of American grit and managerial competence that is foreign to the halls of ABC.
Mullin isn&#8217;t just a &#8220;plumber,&#8221; though that is an honorable profession Kimmel clearly views as a punchline. He is a former five-term congressman, a U.S. senator, and an undefeated professional fighter.
This isn’t Kimmel’s first foray into elitist snobbery. Whether he is mocking Melania Trump’s accent, suggesting that unvaccinated Americans should &#8220;rest in peace, wheezy,&#8221; or dismissing the struggles of rural workers during government shutdowns, Kimmel’s track record is one of consistent disdain for the working class.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) hit the nail on the head, responding to the monologue by noting, &#8220;I prefer plumbers to woke and unfunny comedians.&#8221;
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I prefer plumbers to woke &amp; unfunny comedians. <a href="https://t.co/3nUseOoluy">https://t.co/3nUseOoluy</a>
&mdash; Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) <a href="https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/2036895113230623082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Indeed, for the millions of Americans who actually work with their hands to keep this country running, Kimmel’s &#8220;Super Mario&#8221; routine isn&#8217;t just unfunny — it’s a reminder that the Hollywood elite view the backbone of the country as nothing more than a series of low-brow caricatures. While Kimmel plays dress-up for a living, men like Mullin are actually prepared to do the heavy lifting.

Kimmel Mullin Blendy

Jimmy Kimmel Mocks Markwayne Mullin’s Blue-Collar Roots

Department of Homeland Security

Jimmy Kimmel

Markwayne Mullin

Oklahoma Republican Governor Kevin Stitt announced on Tuesday that longtime energy executive Alan Armstrong will replace Markwayne Mullin in the Senate following Mullin&#8217;s confirmation as Homeland Security Secretary.
Armstrong is a political outsider who has spent his career at Williams Companies, a major oil and gas company based in Tulsa. After introducing Armstrong at a <a href="https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1mxPaLjkLQYKN">press conference</a>, Stitt said that Oklahoma&#8217;s new senator &#8220;is strongly aligned with President Trump on energy policy,&#8221; adding that &#8220;few people have done more to champion [the] America First agenda to keep Oklahoma at the center of domestic production.&#8221;
The Tulsa oil and gas executive will only serve in the Senate for the remainder of Mullin&#8217;s term, which ends in January 2027. Oklahoma law requires Senate appointees to sign an affidavit vowing not to run for a full term, and Trump has endorsed Congressman Kevin Hern to run for the seat in November.
Armstrong said he is entering the Senate at a &#8220;critical&#8221; time in American history, especially regarding energy and infrastructure.
&#8220;You travel around the world these days and you realize we are falling behind on being the leaders in infrastructure,&#8221; Armstrong said, adding, &#8220;The truth is, it&#8217;s gotten very, very hard to build large-scale infrastructure, and it is so critical to our country&#8217;s competitiveness in the long-term.&#8221;
Armstrong <a href="https://www.constellationenergy.com/about/leadership/alan-armstrong.html">began</a> working at Williams Companies nearly 40 years ago as an engineer and worked his way to the top, becoming the energy company&#8217;s president and CEO in 2011. He retired from the CEO role in 2025 and became the executive chairman of the board of directors at Williams Companies.
Armstrong&#8217;s decades of expertise leading one of America&#8217;s largest oil and gas companies and focus on U.S. energy independence fits neatly with President Trump&#8217;s goals to rejuvenate the country&#8217;s energy sector. The oil and gas executive said the issue he wants to address the most in the Senate is permitting reform.
&#8220;What&#8217;s caught my attention is it&#8217;s hard for any kind of infrastructure to get built, and that really is holding our country back,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And I really want to make sure that we really have meaningful permitting reform.&#8221;
Along with focusing on energy, Armstrong told reporters that &#8220;there are a lot of important policy issues&#8221; in the Republican Party agenda and vowed that he &#8220;will be there to support that.&#8221; Armstrong recently met with Trump and said the president showed support for his appointment to the Senate. Armstrong has also worked on energy issues with Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, which he said &#8220;was pretty important&#8221; in gaining Trump&#8217;s support.
Oklahoma has been one of the most pro-Trump states in the country and was the only state where Trump won every county in the 2024 election. Trump, however, recently expressed frustration with Stitt, the chair of the National Governors Association, over a dispute about whether Democratic governors would be invited to the National Governors Association gathering at the White House in February.
Stitt suggested that Trump would be excluding Democratic governors from the meeting, but Trump shot back, calling Stitt a &#8220;RINO&#8221; and a &#8220;wise guy&#8221; who &#8220;incorrectly stated my position&#8221; on which governors were invited to the White House. The Oklahoma governor <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/13/stitt-and-trump-patch-things-up-00828775">reportedly</a> met with Trump earlier this month and cleared the air over the dispute.

Alan Armstrong/Markwayne Mullin

Red State Governor Reveals Key Senate Replacement After DHS Shakeup

Oklahoma Governor Reveals Senate Replacement For DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin

Oklahoma

Senate

The Senate confirmed Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to be the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on Monday night.
The vote was 54-45 largely along party lines, but Democratic Sens. Martin Heinrich and John Fetterman voted to confirm him and Republican Sen. Rand Paul voted against his confirmation. Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego did not vote.
Secretary Kristi Noem will leave the department on March 31, and she will be headed to a new role as special envoy for the “Shield of the Americas.” Noem’s exit from the department came amid multiple controversies regarding ad spending and federal immigration enforcement.
Mullin could be taking over the department at a pivotal time, as it has faced a lapse in funding since mid-February over the Trump administration’s immigration tactics through ICE. As TSA, Coast Guard, and FEMA fall under the DHS umbrella, many of those essential workers have been required to work without receiving a paycheck.
Reactions poured in over his confirmation, including in Congress.
“As a conservative warrior with a proven track record of supporting President Trump’s agenda, Markwayne Mullin will lead the Department of Homeland Security with dogged determination and zeal for enforcing our nation’s immigration laws,&#8221; Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said in a statement.
&#8220;At a time when the danger to American soil is heightened and Democrats continue to hold funding for this vital agency hostage, we need a strong hand at the helm more than ever. I have every confidence Markwayne is up to the task, and I look forward to working with him in this new role to protect and defend the homeland and support America First,&#8221; he added.
While Republicans have largely been pleased with Trump&#8217;s pick, Democrats have largely taken a sharply tone.
&#8220;After Kristi Noem’s disastrous time as Secretary of Homeland Security, we need a steady, level-headed leader who will focus on protecting our homeland while ensuring ICE officers follow the same standards as other law enforcement officials,&#8221; Sen. Jacky Rosen posted to X on Sunday afternoon.
&#8220;Markwayne Mullin has made clear his number one priority is pleasing Donald Trump, including by voting against paying TSA agents during this Republican shutdown. That’s unacceptable and it’s one of the reasons why I voted against him as Secretary of Homeland Security,&#8221; she continued.

Mullin To Face Senate Scrutiny Over Ability To Lead Behemoth DHS

Markwayne Mullin Confirmed As Next Homeland Security Secretary

Congress

Immigration

Politics

A Democrat’s vote to move forward with the confirmation of President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security was considered a surprise, and it garnered some backlash on the Left.
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) voted to allow Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to advance to the final step in the confirmation process to become the next DHS secretary, succeeding Secretary Kristi Noem. Heinrich and Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) are the only two Democrats who voted in favor of Mullin, who’s expected to be confirmed later on Monday.
“This is going to surprise some people, but I consider Markwayne Mullin a friend. We have a very honest and constructive working relationship. We have authored legislation together, such as the Tribal Buffalo Management Act, and we crafted the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill together this year. We often disagree and when we do, we work to find whatever common ground we share,” Heinrich said in a statement on Sunday.
“I have also seen first-hand that Markwayne is not someone who can simply be bullied into changing his views, and I look forward to having a Secretary who doesn’t take their orders from Stephen Miller,” he said.
The senator said that even though New Mexico is a border state, he has not had “any constructive relationship” with the DHS secretaries during the current and previous Trump administration.
“I want someone who recognizes the necessity of judicial warrants, as he has. I would like a Secretary who I can call and have a constructive conversation with about my state and the unique terrain that exists in the southwest and the proper mix of structure, technology and personnel necessary to effectively secure our border,” the Democrat continued.
In a press release, his office noted that he’s previously called for Noem to be fired, did not vote for her confirmation, and that he wants to see changes made to federal immigration enforcement.
On social media, Heinrich garnered some controversy over his decision to support the Oklahoma Republican.
“Who gives a frog’s fat ass if Sen Heinrich likes Mullin personally? His job is to ensure the nominees in Trump’s administration are qualified. Mullin lacks experience, is combative and impulsive, and will push DHS in a more aggressive, politicized direction,” Shannon Watts, founder emerita of Moms Demand Action, posted to X.
Heinrich has also weighed into multiple Senate races, including endorsing Texas State Rep. James Talarico, Maine veteran Graham Platner, and Michigan State Sen. Mallory McMorrow – and The Daily Wire reached out to each campaign on whether they would also support Mullin&#8217;s nomination.
A spokesperson for Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who’s backed by Heinrich in her competitive Senate primary, stated that “no, she would not vote to confirm Mullin.&#8221;
As for Fetterman, he had clearly stated his support for Mullin prior to the procedural vote.
“In January, I called on the president to fire Noem—and he did. I truly approached the confirmation of my colleague and friend, Senator Mullin, with an open-mind,” he posted to X last week. “We need a leader at DHS. We must reopen DHS.”
“My AYE is rooted in a strong committed, constructive working relationship with Senator Mullin for our nation’s security,” he added.
The Department of Homeland Security remains largely unfunded, as Democrats and Republicans are attempting to work out a deal to fund DHS while possibly making federal immigration enforcement changes. However, other agencies within the DHS umbrella, like TSA, have been caught in the crosshairs, leading to hundreds of TSA agents quitting and long lines at major airports nationwide.

Senate Holds Confirmation Hearing For DHS Secretary Nominee Markwayne Mullin

Democrat Makes ‘Surprise’ Break From Party On Major Homeland Security Vote

U.S. Senate

President Donald Trump has tapped Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to serve as his next Secretary of Homeland Security, but the question remains: can he salvage the agency&#8217;s reputation and its mass deportation effort?
Leading up to the firing of outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the department faced backlash for its handling of immigration sweeps across major cities. In Minneapolis, it all came to a head after the fatal shootings of anti-ICE activists Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents.
At the time, Noem tagged Good and Pretti as domestic terrorists, drawing backlash from both sides of the aisle for getting ahead of federal probes.
In an attempt to clean up the situation, Trump sent his border czar, Tom Homan, into the Twin Cities to change the course of immigration raids and to quell chaos in the streets. In doing so, Trump replaced Noem ally Gregory Bovino, of Border Patrol, who was known for his aggressive tactics of carrying out roving patrols.
Homan changed all that, putting the focus on nabbing the worst criminals first.
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Asked how Noem and Mullin differ, Homan says Mullin “doesn’t know the immigration game very well,” but is relying on “people with 30, 40 years of experience to guide him,” adding: “That’s the way it should be.” <a href="https://t.co/x7QQkHDEH2">pic.twitter.com/x7QQkHDEH2</a>
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JennieSTaer/status/2034364253470183456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
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On Wednesday, Fox News host Martha MacCallum asked Homan how <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rand-paul-confronts-mullin-over-anger-issues-after-freaking-snake-jab?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Rand+Paul+Confronts+Mullin+Over+%E2%80%98Anger+Issues%E2%80%99+After+%E2%80%98Freaking+Snake%E2%80%99+Jab">Mullin</a> would differ from Noem as secretary.
The former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director said that while Mullin “doesn’t know the immigration game very well,” he&#8217;s relying on “people with 30, 40 years of experience to guide him,” adding: “That’s the way it should be.”
Mullin faced a grilling from the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday, where he was asked about how he would  &#8220;reform&#8221; ICE. The Oklahoma lawmaker admitted that there&#8217;s a need for &#8220;a better approach,&#8221; adding, &#8220;I would love to see ICE become a transport more than the frontline.&#8221;
&#8220;If we can get back into just simply working with law enforcement, we&#8217;re going to them and we&#8217;re picking up these criminals from their jail. One, we&#8217;re gonna reimburse them for having the person there and that partnership is vitally important,&#8221; he said.
During a recent hearing, Noem defended DHS&#8217; use of &#8220;administrative immigration warrants,&#8221; which aren&#8217;t signed by a judge, to enter homes. She said they&#8217;ve only been used to enter homes in 28 instances.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pressed-at-dhs-hearing-markwayne-mullin-walks-back-deranged-comment-about-alex-pretti?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Pressed+At+DHS+Hearing%2C+Markwayne+Mullin+Walks+Back+%E2%80%98Deranged%E2%80%99+Comment+About+Alex+Pretti">Mullin</a> suggested that would change.
&#8220;We will not enter a home or a place of business without a judicial warrant, unless we&#8217;re pursuing the individual that runs into a place of business or a house,&#8221; Mullin said during Wednesday&#8217;s hearing.
When it comes to sanctuary cities, Mullin indicated that his approach would involve holding discussions with their leaders to find common ground. When Trump sent Homan into Minneapolis, he changed Noem&#8217;s approach to pressuring sanctuary cities from the vantage point of television appearances and instead sat down with local sheriffs brokering deals that promoted better cooperation with ICE.
Homan&#8217;s actions led to a drawdown of thousands of Homeland Security agents deployed to Minneapolis.
&#8220;If they&#8217;re not willing to enforce federal law and work with us, then where&#8217;s the taxpayer dollars going to?&#8221; Mullin said.
&#8220;And ideally, I would like to go in there and talk to the mayors. I&#8217;d like to go in there and talk to the sheriffs, talk to the police chiefs, say what is your concerns, how can we get past this? Because the president has made it very clear, he wants to protect the streets for every American. He wants to restore law and order to every city. I don&#8217;t think that should be controversial,&#8221; he said.
&#8220;So maybe we sit down and we just work it out,&#8221; Mullin said, adding, &#8220;If we have to do something different, then we will, but that&#8217;s where I&#8217;m going to start at.&#8221;
Asked if he would withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities and states, Mullin signaled it &#8220;would be a last option,&#8221; adding that &#8220;at the end of the day, taxpayer dollars have to be used for the right purposes and if people are refusing to enforce the nation&#8217;s laws, then I think it&#8217;s really hard to justify why we&#8217;re sending them taxpayer dollars.&#8221;
&#8220;That is not going to be my first or second or even third approach, but that would be my last resort,&#8221; Mullin said.
Noem&#8217;s firing came after she blamed Trump for questionable $200 million TV ad contracts that promoted deportations and border security.
Hours before ousting Noem, Trump told Reuters that he had no knowledge of the expensive contracts.
Noem testified during a heated Congressional hearing that the contracts “went out to a competitive bid and career officials at the department chose who would do those advertising commercials.”
The contracts were awarded using “other than full and open competition” to a company formed days before, according to records recently obtained by The Daily Wire. That company then subcontracted the work to an organization headed by the husband of Noem’s former spokeswoman.
It now appears that Mullin wants to salvage the reputation of the department in the wake of Noem&#8217;s missteps.
&#8220;I hope that I&#8217;m not on the news six months from now every day,&#8221; Mullin said during Wednesday&#8217;s hearing.
&#8220;I hope DHS is just able to be laser focused on doing their job and it isn&#8217;t controversial about taking care of the homeland. I hope people have confidence in our agency again and I&#8217;m going to work every day to restore that,&#8221; Mullin said.
Mullin&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mullin-dhs-nomination-clears-committee-after-democrat-breaks-ranks?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Mullin+DHS+Nomination+Clears+Committee+After+Democrat+Breaks+Ranks">nomination</a> passed a committee vote Thursday and is headed to the Senate floor.

How Will Trump’s Mass Deportation Campaign Change If Markwayne Mullin Becomes DHS Secretary?

Illegal Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Kristi Noem

Tom Homan

The Senate Homeland Security Committee voted Thursday to advance the nomination of Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Mullin&#8217;s nomination will now head to a full Senate vote after clearing the committee in an 8-7 vote. The vote largely followed party lines, though Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) broke with Democrats to support the nomination.
<div id="attachment_1062285" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1062285" class="wp-image-1062285 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267258753.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267258753.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267258753-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267258753-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267258753-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)</div>
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who chairs the committee, voted against Mullin after a contentious exchange during Wednesday&#8217;s confirmation hearing, where Paul raised concerns about what he described as Mullin&#8217;s “pattern” of aggressive behavior.
Paul confronted Mullin with a compilation of video clips, including remarks about settling disputes physically, statements about “not afraid to bite” in a fight, and Mullin&#8217;s previous challenge to the Teamsters president during a congressional hearing.
The Kentucky senator also referenced a 2017 assault in which he was seriously injured by a neighbor, accusing Mullin of previously appearing to justify the attack.
“You told the media that I was a freakin’ snake and that you completely understood why I had been assaulted. I was shocked that you would justify and celebrate this violent assault that caused me so much pain, and my family so much pain.&#8221;
Paul questioned whether Mullin&#8217;s past remarks made him fit to lead an agency responsible for enforcing federal law.
&#8220;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.
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<div id="attachment_1062289" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1062289" class="wp-image-1062289 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267253588.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267253588.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267253588-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267253588-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267253588-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)</div>
Mullin, however, didn&#8217;t apologize or walk back any of his past statements.
“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.
Mullin denied endorsing violence and accused Paul of misrepresenting his record.
“As far as me saying that I invoke violence, I don’t think anybody should be hit by surprise,&#8221; Mullin said.  &#8220;If I do have something to say, everybody in this room knows 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 also attempted to strike a conciliatory tone, asking Paul to move past their dispute.
“Let me earn your respect, let me earn the job,&#8221; he said. “I’m not perfect, I don’t claim to be perfect. I make mistakes just like anybody else. But mistakes, if you own them, you can learn from, and you can move ahead. And I’ll make that commitment to you,” he added.
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If confirmed, Mullin would take over an agency facing scrutiny over its handling of immigration enforcement policies.
During an interview Wednesday, President Donald Trump&#8217;s border czar, Tom Homan, said Mullin “doesn’t know the immigration game very well,” but is relying on “people with 30, 40 years of experience to guide him,” adding: “That’s the way it should be.”
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Mullin DHS Nomination Clears Committee After Democrat Breaks Ranks

John Fetterman

Rand Paul

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) grilled his Republican colleague, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), for appearing to &#8220;justify&#8221; a violent attack he experienced in 2017 and showing a &#8220;pattern&#8221; of aggression.
The confrontation occurred on Wednesday during a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing on Mullin&#8217;s nomination to be secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Paul first brought up Mullin&#8217;s previous comment, in which Mullin called Paul a &#8220;freaking snake,&#8221; and for voting against his amendment to stop funding for refugee welfare programs in February. He also later played a compilation of clips that appeared to show Mullin advocating bringing back canings for men to &#8220;settle&#8221; their differences, saying he&#8217;s &#8220;not afraid to bite&#8221; during a confrontation, and previously challenging the Teamsters president to a physical fight.
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Mullin responds: <a href="https://t.co/Su2BSJqqRD">pic.twitter.com/Su2BSJqqRD</a>
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JennieSTaer/status/2034270096881865058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;You told the media that I was a freakin&#8217; snake and that you completely understood why I had been assaulted. I was shocked that you would justify and celebrate this violent assault that caused me so much pain, and my family so much pain. 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,&#8221; Paul said.
&#8220;You went on to brag that you’d already told me to my face that you completely understood and approved of the assault. Well, that’s a lie. You&#8217;ve got a chance today, you can either continue to lie, or you can correct the record,&#8221; the Kentucky lawmaker added.
Paul was assaulted in 2017 by a neighbor while doing yard work. He was left seriously injured.
&#8220;Tell the world why you believe I deserve to be assaulted from behind, have six ribs broken and a damaged lung. Tell me to my face why you think I deserved it. And while you&#8217;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. Explain to the American public how a man who has no regrets about brawling in a Senate committee could set a proper example for over 250,000 men and women who work at the Department of Homeland Security.&#8221;
Mullin then took an opportunity to respond to Paul in his opening statement, but didn&#8217;t apologize or walk back any of his previous statements.
“I have to address remarks the chairman made calling me a liar. Sir &#8230; 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.
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Rand Paul &#8220;rolls the tapes&#8221; on Markwayne Mullin&#8217;s &#8220;pattern&#8221; of violence <a href="https://t.co/iymerPC77T">pic.twitter.com/iymerPC77T</a>
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JennieSTaer/status/2034270802581876892?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us,&#8221; the Oklahoma senator said. &#8220;I did address those remarks, I did explain your gimmicks by the amendment you put forth. And as far as me saying that I invoke violence, I don’t think anybody should be hit by surprise, I don’t like that, but if I do have something to say, everybody in this room knows I&#8217;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. So for you to say I’m a liar, sir, that’s not accurate.&#8221;
Mullin appeared to extend an olive branch, but Paul didn&#8217;t seem satisfied without an overt apology.
&#8220;So I can set it aside, if you’re willing to set it aside. Let me earn your respect, let me earn the job. I won’t fail you, I won’t back down from a challenge, and I&#8217;ll also admit when I’m wrong,&#8221; Mullin said.
&#8220;I’m not perfect, I don’t claim to be perfect. I make mistakes just like anybody else. But mistakes, if you own them, you can learn from, and you can move ahead. And I’ll make that commitment to you,&#8221; he added.

Untitled design – 2026-03-18T092924.390

Rand Paul Confronts Mullin Over ‘Anger Issues’ After ‘Freaking Snake’ Jab

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) said he regretted calling Alex Pretti a &#8220;deranged individual&#8221; after he was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis in January.
Mullin made the statement during a Wednesday Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing on his nomination to lead the Department of Homeland Security. If confirmed, the Oklahoma Republican would inherit an agency facing scrutiny over its handling of the fatal shootings of both Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis.
Leading up to her firing, former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faced scrutiny for statements about the motives of Pretti and Good before the investigation concluded, accusing both of committing an act of domestic terrorism.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Marykwayne Mullin says he regrets calling Alex Pretti a &#8220;deranged individual that came into cause max damage.&#8221;
&#8220;I went out there too fast. I was responding immediately without the facts. That’s my fault. That won’t happen as secretary.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/kDbXXgrHDc">pic.twitter.com/kDbXXgrHDc</a>
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JennieSTaer/status/2034273306736566624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) asked Mullin if he intends to do the same.
&#8220;After DHS officers shot and killed two American citizens this past January, you joined top administration officials in publicly blaming and disparaging the victims,&#8221; Peters said. &#8220;Following the killing of Renee Good, Secretary Noem called her a domestic terrorist.&#8221;
&#8220;You, sir, you called Alex Pretti &#8216;a deranged individual that came in to cause max damage.&#8217; Could we expect those kinds of quick responses if you are confirmed as secretary?&#8221; Peters asked.
Mullin responded bluntly that he wouldn&#8217;t do the same and expressed remorse for his previous comment.
&#8220;No, senator, I have a deep amount of respect for you. We’ve had our differences, but I do respect you. I think I&#8217;ve said this privately when we had a conversation. Those words probably should have been retracted,&#8221; Mullin said.
&#8220;I shouldn&#8217;t have said that. And as secretary, I wouldn’t. The investigation is ongoing &#8230; I went out there too fast. I was responding immediately without the facts. That’s my fault. That won’t happen as secretary,&#8221; he added.
Peters then asked Mullin to apologize to Pretti&#8217;s family, which he said he would &#8220;absolutely&#8221; do if the investigation proves him wrong.
Following the shootings, President Donald Trump sent border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis to take over operations. In doing so, Trump replaced Noem-ally Gregory Bovino, a top Border Patrol official, who has since announced his retirement from the agency.

Pressed At DHS Hearing, Markwayne Mullin Walks Back ‘Deranged’ Comment About Alex Pretti

Minneapolis

Homeland Security agents are largely ready for new leadership after President Donald Trump ousted Kristi Noem as their boss on Thursday.
One Border Patrol official said Noem&#8217;s ousting &#8220;was bound to happen,&#8221; citing her handling of immigration raids in Minneapolis.
Noem received backlash for labeling Alex Pretti, the anti-ICE activist who was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis, as a domestic terrorist before a federal investigation concluded.
The agent also cited scrutiny Noem received for a <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/investigations/4444838/dhs-officials-point-fingers-delay-border-wall-construction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> delay in border wall construction and an internal campaign the secretary reportedly spearheaded to oust Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott.
Scott is highly respected among federal law enforcement officials and previously served as the national chief of Border Patrol.
&#8220;It was a questionable pick to begin with, no experience in the space,&#8221; the agent said. &#8220;What a train wreck.&#8221;
&#8220;Between the Minneapolis debacle, the slowdown on approving wall contracts, the suspected affair, and the attempt to oust Rodney, one of the most respected chiefs, she needed to go. What a disaster of a secretary,&#8221; the agent added.
One Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer said the news of Noem&#8217;s departure was &#8220;not surprising&#8221; after Trump replaced Noem&#8217;s ally and top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino, who was leading aggressive immigration raids in Minneapolis, after the Pretti shooting.
Trump swiftly sent in White House border czar Tom Homan, who shifted to conducting more targeted arrests in the Twin Cities, while brokering agreements with local law enforcement to work with ICE.
&#8220;After she was pulled from Minneapolis and replaced by Homan, I saw the writing on the wall,&#8221; the officer said.
A Border Patrol agent echoed that sentiment, saying Noem wasn&#8217;t &#8220;listening to Homan and Scott.&#8221; The agent said she also &#8220;threw Bovino to the wolves.&#8221;
Trump announced Noem&#8217;s demotion in a Truth Social post, saying he will replace her with Republican Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin, a staunch ally of the president. Noem&#8217;s firing came after she blamed Trump during a heated Congressional hearing for questionable $200 million TV ad contracts that promoted deportations and border security.
Hours before announcing the leadership change, Trump told Reuters that he had no knowledge of the expensive contracts.
Noem testified that the contracts “went out to a competitive bid and career officials at the department chose who would do those advertising commercials.”
But the contracts were awarded using “other than full and open competition” to a company formed days before, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/docs-show-dhs-specifically-steered-200m-ad-contracts-raising-questions-about-noems-testimony?author=Luke+Rosiak&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Docs+Show+DHS+Specifically+Steered+%24200M+Ad+Contracts%2C+Raising+Questions+About+Noem%E2%80%99s+Testimony" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to records obtained by The Daily Wire</a>. That company then subcontracted the work to a group run by the husband of Noem&#8217;s former spokeswoman.
Now, Mullin will have to earn the trust of career law enforcement officials at the Department of Homeland Security who took issue with Noem over her lack of experience in the space.
Mullin doesn&#8217;t have law enforcement experience either, but is a businessman, rancher, and MMA fighter, according to his official bio.
Republican North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, who has been calling on Noem to resign for weeks, said Mullin &#8220;is 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.&#8221;
&#8220;Another big positive: he likes dogs,&#8221; he added, referring to Noem&#8217;s book where she admitted to shooting her dog for misbehaving during a hunting outing.
Noem will finish out her term as secretary through the end of the month before Mullin takes over and begins a confirmation process, Trump said.
While Mullin has been characterized as a hawk on cracking down on illegal immigration and supporting Trump&#8217;s mass deportation campaign, he received a C+ for his record on restricting legal immigration by the conservative immigration group <a href="https://www.numbersusa.com/grades/11605" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NumbersUSA</a>.
Mullin has yet to support legislation requiring employers to use the E-Verify immigration status check, according to the conservative organization.
He has also yet to join in on legislation to end chain migration, end birthright citizenship, and limit the number of foreign workers in the United States.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Testifies During House Judiciary Committee Hearing

DHS Rank And File Aren’t So Sad To See Noem Go

Rank And File At DHS Aren't So Sad To See Noem Go And Here's What Could Change

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he planned to replace current Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) — and while the impact of that shake-up will certainly be felt across the administration and the Senate, it also marks a clear departure from the frequent personnel shakeups of Trump&#8217;s first term.
By this point in Trump’s first administration, more than half a dozen <a href="https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2017/08/politics/trump-admin-departures-trnd/#:~:text=Trump%20was%20irked%20by%20reports,Secretary%20of%20Labor%20%7C%20Trump%20appointee">major players</a> had already been summarily dismissed — from an adviser and a deputy chief of staff to Health and Human Services Secretary and even Secretary of State. And although a few of those who got the presidential boot were holdovers from former President Barack Obama&#8217;s administration, a fair few were people Trump had believed were the right fit for his administration — until they weren&#8217;t.
It was no surprise, for example, that Trump would fire Deputy Attorney General <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/youre-fired-trump-sacks-acting-attorney-general-ben-shapiro">Sally Yates</a> — an Obama appointee — in the first ten days of his administration. General Michael Flynn lasted three weeks before he was fired as National Security Advisor. Obama&#8217;s Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, resigned by mid-April, and in early May, Trump fired FBI Director <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-trump-fires-fbi-director-comey-ben-shapiro">James Comey</a>.
But by mid-July, the president was already on his second White House Press Secretary after Sean Spicer resigned, and by the end of the month, the tenure of other staffers was being measured in &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/legend-scaramucci-fired-white-house-after-week-ben-shapiro">Scaramuccis</a>&#8221; after Anthony Scaramucci only lasted ten days as White House Communications Director. White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus was also fired before the end of July, and advisors Steve Bannon and Sebastian Gorka were gone before the end of August.
The first cabinet member to go was Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, who resigned from his post in late September. And by the end of March 2018, two more cabinet members were out — Secretary of State <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-rex-tillerson-out-secretary-state-amanda-prestigiacomo">Rex Tillerson</a> and Secretary of Veterans Affairs <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-trump-ousts-scandal-plagued-veterans-ryan-saavedra">David Shulkin</a> — along with a laundry list of lower-level staffers.
Trump almost constantly faced attacks and leaks from staff on their way out the door. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/omarosa-former-star-apprentice-leave-white-house-joseph-curl">Omarosa Manigault Newman</a>, for example, was fired in December of 2017 — and within a year, she&#8217;d released a tell-all book and made a slew of accusations against the man who first made her a star on NBC&#8217;s &#8220;The Apprentice.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cnbcs-kernen-torches-scaramucci-over-trump-takes-do-you-ever-eat-any-crow">Scaramucci</a> also turned on Trump after he was fired, referring to his former boss — and former friend — as an &#8220;orange wrecking ball,&#8221; and said in 2019 that Trump was suffering from &#8220;early stage fascism.&#8221; Tillerson was slightly more measured in his criticisms of the president, calling him &#8220;undisciplined&#8221; and claiming that he &#8220;disregards briefing reports.&#8221;
After screening more strictly for loyalty his second time around, Trump&#8217;s staff retention has been markedly higher.
Noem is just the second big name in the second Trump administration to be removed from her post — the first being former National Security Adviser <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/flurry-of-reports-claim-mike-waltz-out-as-national-security-adviser">Michael Waltz</a> — and neither of the two have been asked or ordered to leave the administration entirely. Waltz has since been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/curveball-amid-rumors-that-mike-waltz-was-fired-trump-gives-him-another-top-admin-post">appointed</a> to serve as Ambassador to the United Nations, and Noem <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-fires-dhs-secretary-kristi-noem-announces-replacement">will become</a> Trump&#8217;s Special Envoy for &#8220;The Shield of the Americas,&#8221; a western hemisphere security initiative that is set to be unveiled in the coming days.

President Donald J. Trump and Kristi Noem

What Noem Ouster Says About Trump Administration 2.0

Donald Trump

James Comey

Rex Tillerson

Trump Administration

With Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) being President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, Mullin’s seat will presumably be vacated soon.
Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt will have the opportunity to appoint a replacement until the November general election, since Mullin was already up for reelection this year.
“Markwayne Mullin has been a fighter for Oklahoma and will fight to keep our nation secure. There isn’t a better choice to lead the Department of Homeland Security,” Stitt said in a statement on Thursday. Mullin&#8217;s nomination was triggered by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem being moved to a special envoy role, as the secretary is currently facing several controversies, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-fires-dhs-secretary-kristi-noem-announces-replacement?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump+Fires+DHS+Secretary+Kristi+Noem%2C+Announces+Replacement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
“Oklahoma has been an example to the nation for smart immigration enforcement, and Markwayne will bring that common sense to DHS. I will be looking to appoint a strong, small government conservative voice to support President Trump and protect Oklahomans’ way of life,” he continued.
No shortlist of names has emerged as of late Thursday afternoon.
Those who want to run for a full six-year term cannot be considered for the appointment, as appointees are legally unable to run for the seat due to state law, <a href="https://x.com/reesejgorman/status/2029631710950736153?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NOTUS</a> reported. Reps. Stephanie Bice and Kevin Hern are reportedly considering campaigning for the seat, according to the <a href="https://www.notus.org/2026-election/oklahoma-republicans-markwayne-mullin-senate-seat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outlet</a>.
Oklahoma is a deep red state with all five congressional seats held by Republicans, including Reps. Josh Brecheen, Frank Lucas, and Tom Cole.
The state government is also dominated by Republicans in the top offices, including Lt. Gov Matt Pinnell, Secretary of State Josh Cockroft, and Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
As for the general election for the seat, it is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by the Cook Political Report. Trump won the 2024 presidential election in Oklahoma with over 66% of the vote. Trump recently took aim at the Oklahoma governor over a disagreement about a National Governors Association event at the White House, as Stitt chairs the group.
When it comes to Mullin, Trump said that he “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.”
Many Republicans spoke out in support of the DHS shuffle, including Trump-critic Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who said in a post that the Oklahoma senator will “restore competence” to the department that’s currently facing a lapse in funding. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) also indicated that he will support Mullin’s confirmation.

Homeland Security Shakeup Creates Major Opening For Deep-Red Senate Seat

2026 election

Elections

homeland security

Republicans

Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma told reporters on Thursday that he called his wife and his dad after President Donald Trump asked him to take over at the Department of Homeland Security.
Trump announced on Truth Social that Mullin would take over for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem beginning on March 31, pending Mullin&#8217;s Senate confirmation. The Oklahoma senator told reporters on Capitol Hill that he received the call from Trump just minutes before Trump released his statement.
Mullin described the opportunity as exciting and humbling, adding, &#8220;I had to call my dad because, I mean, it happened quick, so I had to call my wife and call my dad both. It&#8217;s just really humbling when you stop and think about it. A little kid from Westville, Oklahoma, gets to serve in the president&#8217;s Cabinet. That&#8217;s pretty neat.&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s major Cabinet shakeup comes after Noem has faced criticism over the Homeland Security Department&#8217;s response to the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Noem was also grilled by lawmakers in a Senate hearing earlier this week and said that Trump approved <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/docs-show-dhs-specifically-steered-200m-ad-contracts-raising-questions-about-noems-testimony?author=Luke+Rosiak&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Docs+Show+DHS+Specifically+Steered+%24200M+Ad+Contracts%2C+Raising+Questions+About+Noem%E2%80%99s+Testimony">questionable contracts</a> for advertisements starring the DHS secretary worth over $200 million. The president said on Thursday that Noem will be reassigned to help lead a new security initiative that is set to be announced on Saturday.
In his announcement, Trump said that Noem had served the administration &#8220;well and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!).&#8221; The president added, &#8220;I thank Kristi for her service at &#8216;Homeland.'&#8221;
Mullin, a close friend of Noem&#8217;s, told reporters that he hadn&#8217;t yet spoken to the ousted DHS secretary, but would soon.
&#8220;Our families are very close, and this happened very quick, so we&#8217;re going to go have a conversation with her in just a second,&#8221; he said.
Trump called Mullin a &#8220;warrior&#8221; and said the Oklahoman &#8220;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.&#8221;
Mullin has served in the Senate since 2023 and was a member of the House for 10 years before that. He currently serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee; the Appropriations Committee; the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; and the Indian Affairs Committee. Mullin is also a former wrestler and professional mixed martial arts fighter who posted a 5-0 career record in MMA.

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