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By Jenna Sundel and Dan Gooding
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Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin, President Donald Trump's pick for the next Secretary of Homeland Security, exchanged strong words with Senator Rand Paul during the opening moments of his confirmation hearing on Wednesday.
Paul, a Kentucky Republican who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee, used his opening time to question Mullin over remarks he made following Paul being assaulted in 2017, and recent disagreements over funding, in which Mullin reportedly called his colleague a "freaking snake."
"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 during the confirmation hearing.
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Mullin accused him of using gimmicks.
“I don’t believe in political violence, I’ve made that very clear," Mullin said, accusing Paul of seeking to carry out a “character assassination.”
Mullin challenged Paul's claim that he was a liar and said they could work together despite their differences.
“For you to say I’m a liar, Sir, that’s not accurate,” Mullin said.
Referring to Paul, Mullin said, “We just don’t get along.”
Mullin told the committee he would not shy away from admitting to his mistakes, should he be approved as the next person to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), after Trump fired Secretary Kristi Noem earlier this month.
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“I can have different opinions with everybody in this room, but as Secretary of Homeland I’ll be protecting everybody,” Mullin said. “My goal in six months is that we’re not in the lead story every single day.”
Mullin also spoke about the need to restore funding to DHS. The department has been shut down since February 14, after Congress failed to pass legislation to fund it.
Democrats have said they are willing to fund some of DHS, but not Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Customs and Border Protection, without changes to their operations. Republicans have voiced opposition to some of the changes Democrats are seeking to make.
DHS has come under scrutiny as President Donald Trump’s administration carries out a series of immigration enforcement operations across several states. Two U.S. citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot by federal agents in January as they carried out immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota.
"We have to get DHS funded. We have to, my friends. We have to set the partisan side down. And we have to realize that we’re putting our homeland and the peace of mind at risk for the American people,” Mullin said.
Who Attacked Rand Paul?
Rene Boucher, who was a neighbor of Paul at the time, pleaded guilty in 2018 to assaulting the senator in Kentucky. Boucher tackled and injured Paul on November 3, 2017, while the senator was mowing his lawn, following a lawn care dispute. He was originally given a 30-day sentence but was resentenced in 2020 to an additional 7 months in jail and 6 months in home detention.
What Did Markwayne Mullin Say About Rand Paul?
According to Oklahoma conservative talk show host David Arnett, who wrote about the remarks on his Substack, Mullin recently called Paul, "a freaking snake. And I understand completely why his neighbor did what he did. And I told him that to his face.”
What Injuries Did Paul Sustain from the Attack?
Paul suffered multiple broken ribs and later underwent lung and hernia surgeries that he linked to the attack.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
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Update 3/18/26, 12:33 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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