Mullin sworn in as DHS chief after GOP fracture forced Dem to save nomination
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., was sworn in as the U.S.’ ninth secretary of Homeland Security on Tuesday, with President Donald Trump in attendance.Mullin, 48, is a former mixed martial arts...
By Fox News · Fox News
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., was sworn in as the U.S.’ ninth secretary of Homeland Security on Tuesday, with President Donald Trump in attendance. Mullin, 48, is a former mixed martial arts champion and plumbing business owner who will replace outgoing Secretary Kristi Noem, a South Dakota Republican recently picked to lead the Shield of the Americas security initiative announced by Trump earlier this month. Mullin will take the reins of DHS at a time of increased turmoil and congressional scrutiny at the agency , where Democrats continue to withhold funding for TSA and other subagencies in hopes of forcing changes to immigration enforcement operations at ICE and CBP. 40+ HOUSE REPUBLICANS RALLY BEHIND MARKWAYNE MULLIN FOR DHS, CALL IT A ‘CRITICAL MOMENT’ FOR BORDER SECURITY He narrowly made it through the nomination process after clashing with Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky., as the two continue to feud over Mullin’s response to an incident in which Paul’s neighbor blindsided him in his yard, fracturing his ribs. Mullin needed a Democratic ally to get his nomination out of committee after Paul’s no vote. Sen. John Fetterman , D-Pa., who formerly exchanged endorsements with socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., as Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor, has become somewhat of a political maverick and provided the necessary vote to advance the nomination to the full Senate. There, he garnered support from another Democrat, New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich , who said in a statement that he doesn’t believe Mullin will be "bullied" or allow himself to "take orders from Stephen Miller" at the White House. "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," Heinrich said. "We often disagree and wh…