Kristi Noem baggage bleeds into Markwayne Mullin confirmation fight
Who's accountable for the results?
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) will spend the next several months attempting to prove that he can send the Department of Homeland Security in a new direction after President Donald Trump fired Kristi Noem after a year atop the embattled agency.
Trump’s decision to nominate Mullin on Thursday checks several boxes for Republicans weary of the drama surrounding Noem, who drew calls for her resignation and an impeachment push by congressional Democrats over her handling of immigration enforcement in Minnesota.
Mullin is regarded as loyal to the president, one of the black marks against Noem, but also a relationship-builder who has a strong rapport with Democrats. He is sharp-elbowed but not a bomb thrower and is a known quantity in the halls of Congress. Mullin, 48, has served in the Senate since 2023 and before that was a House member representing Oklahoma for a decade.
In any other political climate, that would be enough to earn bipartisan support for Mullin’s confirmation as the next secretary of DHS, a sprawling agency that manages the border, disaster relief, and more. He doesn’t have the sort of baggage that would alienate centrist Republicans and is firmly within the mainstream for Democrats with a pragmatic streak.
But looking good on paper may not be enough to repair a tumultuous tenure for Noem, whose handling of deportation operations in Minneapolis contributed to a DHS shutdown now in its third week.
TEARS OF JOY AND RELIEF: DHS AND TRUMP INSIDERS CELEBRATE KRISTI NOEM DEPARTURE
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mullin declined to get into a “tit for tat” with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who minutes earlier said that his nomination would not fix the “rot” at the agency. He also committed to meeting with Democrats in good faith as the Senate rushes to schedule a confirmation hearing.
“I want to try to earn their support, and I’m going to be very open and honest with them,” Mullin said.
“If they have real concerns, I’m going to listen,” Mullin added, before making clear there were limits to that olive branch.
The Trump administration has shown a willingness to change tack on immigration enforcement after federal officers fatally shot two protesters in Minneapolis. But Trump hasn’t been able to see eye to eye with Democrats on most of the reforms they’ve demanded, and talks over government funding have recently stalled.
“Nothing’s going to prevent me from doing my job. I’m going to enforce the policies and the laws that …
Who's accountable for the results?
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) will spend the next several months attempting to prove that he can send the Department of Homeland Security in a new direction after President Donald Trump fired Kristi Noem after a year atop the embattled agency.
Trump’s decision to nominate Mullin on Thursday checks several boxes for Republicans weary of the drama surrounding Noem, who drew calls for her resignation and an impeachment push by congressional Democrats over her handling of immigration enforcement in Minnesota.
Mullin is regarded as loyal to the president, one of the black marks against Noem, but also a relationship-builder who has a strong rapport with Democrats. He is sharp-elbowed but not a bomb thrower and is a known quantity in the halls of Congress. Mullin, 48, has served in the Senate since 2023 and before that was a House member representing Oklahoma for a decade.
In any other political climate, that would be enough to earn bipartisan support for Mullin’s confirmation as the next secretary of DHS, a sprawling agency that manages the border, disaster relief, and more. He doesn’t have the sort of baggage that would alienate centrist Republicans and is firmly within the mainstream for Democrats with a pragmatic streak.
But looking good on paper may not be enough to repair a tumultuous tenure for Noem, whose handling of deportation operations in Minneapolis contributed to a DHS shutdown now in its third week.
TEARS OF JOY AND RELIEF: DHS AND TRUMP INSIDERS CELEBRATE KRISTI NOEM DEPARTURE
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mullin declined to get into a “tit for tat” with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who minutes earlier said that his nomination would not fix the “rot” at the agency. He also committed to meeting with Democrats in good faith as the Senate rushes to schedule a confirmation hearing.
“I want to try to earn their support, and I’m going to be very open and honest with them,” Mullin said.
“If they have real concerns, I’m going to listen,” Mullin added, before making clear there were limits to that olive branch.
The Trump administration has shown a willingness to change tack on immigration enforcement after federal officers fatally shot two protesters in Minneapolis. But Trump hasn’t been able to see eye to eye with Democrats on most of the reforms they’ve demanded, and talks over government funding have recently stalled.
“Nothing’s going to prevent me from doing my job. I’m going to enforce the policies and the laws that …
Kristi Noem baggage bleeds into Markwayne Mullin confirmation fight
Who's accountable for the results?
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) will spend the next several months attempting to prove that he can send the Department of Homeland Security in a new direction after President Donald Trump fired Kristi Noem after a year atop the embattled agency.
Trump’s decision to nominate Mullin on Thursday checks several boxes for Republicans weary of the drama surrounding Noem, who drew calls for her resignation and an impeachment push by congressional Democrats over her handling of immigration enforcement in Minnesota.
Mullin is regarded as loyal to the president, one of the black marks against Noem, but also a relationship-builder who has a strong rapport with Democrats. He is sharp-elbowed but not a bomb thrower and is a known quantity in the halls of Congress. Mullin, 48, has served in the Senate since 2023 and before that was a House member representing Oklahoma for a decade.
In any other political climate, that would be enough to earn bipartisan support for Mullin’s confirmation as the next secretary of DHS, a sprawling agency that manages the border, disaster relief, and more. He doesn’t have the sort of baggage that would alienate centrist Republicans and is firmly within the mainstream for Democrats with a pragmatic streak.
But looking good on paper may not be enough to repair a tumultuous tenure for Noem, whose handling of deportation operations in Minneapolis contributed to a DHS shutdown now in its third week.
TEARS OF JOY AND RELIEF: DHS AND TRUMP INSIDERS CELEBRATE KRISTI NOEM DEPARTURE
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mullin declined to get into a “tit for tat” with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who minutes earlier said that his nomination would not fix the “rot” at the agency. He also committed to meeting with Democrats in good faith as the Senate rushes to schedule a confirmation hearing.
“I want to try to earn their support, and I’m going to be very open and honest with them,” Mullin said.
“If they have real concerns, I’m going to listen,” Mullin added, before making clear there were limits to that olive branch.
The Trump administration has shown a willingness to change tack on immigration enforcement after federal officers fatally shot two protesters in Minneapolis. But Trump hasn’t been able to see eye to eye with Democrats on most of the reforms they’ve demanded, and talks over government funding have recently stalled.
“Nothing’s going to prevent me from doing my job. I’m going to enforce the policies and the laws that …
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