March 19, 2026

A day after a testy confirmation hearing, a Senate committee on Thursday advanced the nomination of Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to lead the Department of Homeland Security.

Mullin cleared his first procedural hurdle to leading the department despite prodding from his Senate peers on Wednesday over his temperament, DHS’ immigration policies and a trip he said he took abroad while a member of the House that he repeatedly said was “classified.”

“Throughout the nomination process, he has failed to be forthright and transparent,” Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., the top Democrat on the panel, said at the start of the hearing. “Sen. Mullin also showed that he doesn’t have the experience or the temperament to lead this critical department.”

The vote was 8-7, with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., chair of the Senate panel, the lone Republican vote against the nomination and Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., the lone Democrat voting in favor. Republicans hold an 8-7 majority on the committee.

 

Senator Markwayne Mullin, despite facing criticism over his temperament, lack of transparency, and immigration policy stance during a contentious confirmation hearing, was narrowly advanced by a Senate committee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, with an 8-7 vote reflecting deep partisan divides and a rare GOP dissent. His nomination now moves to the full Senate, where a simple majority is needed for confirmation, potentially voting as early as next week, while DHS remains shut down amid ongoing disputes over immigration enforcement and funding.

Leave a Reply