Mullin, Rand Paul Clash in DHS Confirmation Hearing – RedState
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) believes Donald Trump’s choice to replace ousted Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), has hurt him in the past by saying Paul deserved his neighbor’s 2017 attack that left him with broken ribs.
On Wednesday, Paul had the opportunity to grill Mullin during a DHS confirmation hearing in the Senate. You could tell from the start that this was going to be a difficult exchange between the two, as Paul reportedly blocked Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) from even introducing the candidate:
NEW: According to a source familiar, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) blocked Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) from introducing Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) during his confirmation hearing this morning. Britt and Mullin are good friends and Britt is the DHS Appropriations Chairman in the Senate. She had planned to…
– Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) March 18, 2026
She had planned to present it, but @FoxNews learns that Paul, the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, would not allow it.
Once things got underway, Paul demanded that Mullin answer for his past statements.
I was shocked that [you] justify and celebrate this violent attack which caused so much pain to me and so much pain to my family. I’m just wondering if someone who applauds violence against his political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept the limits of proper use of force?
“So today, Markwayne Mullin, I’m going to give you a chance. Tell me to my face. Tell the world why you think I deserved to be attacked from behind, to have six broken ribs and a damaged lung. Tell me to my face why you think I deserved it.” pic.twitter.com/wodEs9Hc9O
– Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) March 18, 2026
Paul, who was clearly moved by the 2017 attack, demanded that Mullin respond directly to his face:
You then boasted that you had already told me to my face that you fully understood and approved of the attack. Well, that’s a lie. You have a chance today. You can either continue lying or correct the facts. You never had the courage to look me in the eye and tell me the attack was justified. So today you will have your chance.
MORE: Who is our future new DHS secretary? Markwayne Mullin has a Heckuva story
The opening attack on Markwayne Mullin is so lame you can’t believe the Washington Post cares
Mullin, without hesitation, said the two just didn’t get along, but asked Paul to let him earn his respect. And we talked about it face to face, he maintained:
WOW !
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, nominee for DHS secretary, fires back at Rand Paul after calling Mullin a ‘liar’:
“If I have something to say, I’ll say it directly to your face…it looks like you’re FIGHTING the Republicans more than you’re working with us!”
“For you to say that I’m a liar? That’s NOT… pic.twitter.com/Ha5ulWHZRB
– Conservative Brief (@ConservBrief) March 18, 2026
“For You say that I am A liar? It is NOT accurate. And I have PROOF, you spent millions of dollars campaigning against me.”
Mullin gave as good as he got:
I must respond to the president’s remarks who called me a liar. Sir, I think everyone in this room knows that I am very direct and direct, and if I have something to say, I will say it directly to your face.
If you remember when I was at the House, we actually had this conversation…
I simply replied that I said that I could understand, because of the behavior that you had, that I could understand why your neighbor did what he did…
Looks like you’re fighting the Republicans more than you’re working with us.
I responded to these comments… And as for me, I say that I invoke violence, I do not do it. I don’t think anyone should be surprised. I don’t like it.
But if I have something to say, everyone in this room knows I’ll come straight to you. I will say it publicly and I will say it privately, but I will never say it behind your back. So to say that I am a liar, sir, is not accurate.
It’s clear that these two are unlikely to go out and have a beer together anytime soon. We’ll have to see if this has a serious effect on Mullin’s chances or if it’s just a personal clash on the path to his confirmation.
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