Caught by the media on the street in Washington, D.C., Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) has given his first reaction to being named as the new Secretary of Homeland Security by President Trump, to replace Secretary Kristi Noem, who is being appointed to be the Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas.
The Senator had this to say:
BREAKING: Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s (R-OK) first reaction to being tapped as DHS Secretary by President Trump. pic.twitter.com/QEZIzRE0pb
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) March 5, 2026
Senator Mullin: No, I, no, the president and I still have to communicate, we'll talk about it (inaudible) but I appreciate it, guys.
There were several shouted questions. Senator Mullin continues:
Yeah, the president and I have already talked, obviously. The statement went out with, we need to talk to the president, we're going to get on the same page, and deal with things, do what we're going to do.
One of the assembled media asked when Senator Mullin found out about the appointment:
(Found out) a little bit before you guys did. Guys, I'll talk to you all more, I've got to go.
There isn't really anything surprising here; his remarks come only moments, maybe an hour, after he learned about the president's intent to appoint him to the job. The press can hardly expect him to have much to say this early in the game.
Read More: Breaking: Noem Out As Trump Names New Secretary of Homeland Security
While several of the shouted questions had to do with Senator Mullin's intent to make changes at DHS, a pretty inane question, as Senator Mullin has only just learned about the new role and hasn't even set foot in his new office space yet. But whatever Secretary Noem's difficulties at the moment, the DHS, including Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs & Border Patrol (CBP), have been doing some pretty good work getting illegal aliens sent back home, and the one sure thing right now is that this will continue.
Secretary Noem, we might note, isn't the only political figure struggling with personal issues right now:
Read More: After Admitting Affair With Staffer Who Died Tragically, Tony Gonzales Is Fighting for His Seat
Senator Mullin has been in the United States Senate since 2023 as the junior Senator from Oklahoma. He is a member of the Cherokee Nation, and is the only member of the United States Senate who is a member of a native tribe since Colorado Republican Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, a member of the Northern Cheyenne Nation, left office in 2005.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned.
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