President Donald Trump has tapped Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin to serve as the next Homeland Security Secretary after firing Kristi Noem. The first-term Republican, a former mixed martial arts fighter turned businessman, now faces Senate confirmation before taking charge of the vast department. If approved, Mullin would become the second homeland security chief in Trump's second administration. He arrives with a reputation for blunt rhetoric and staunch loyalty to the president's immigration agenda. Mullin has praised federal immigration enforcement and defended agents carrying out arrests of undocumented migrants. He has also condemned the partial government shutdown that allowed funding for the homeland security department to lapse. In interviews, Mullin argued Democrats were staging political theatre and insisted immigration officers should continue doing their jobs. The department he hopes to lead has faced mounting scrutiny after two US citizens were killed by federal immigration officials in Minnesota. Mullin previously defended agents involved in such operations, calling them patriots performing a dangerous job. His fiery image grew after he challenged a powerful union leader to a fight during a heated Senate hearing. Before politics, Mullin helped expand his family's plumbing company while raising six children with his wife and building name recognition.
