Trending Now - Senate Moves Forward on Mullin's DHS Nomination Amid TSA Tensions

WHO:

Joe Walsh, former Rep. (R-Ill.), criticized Trump’s nomination of Markwayne Mullin, calling it “disgraceful.”

Tim Miller, a conservative commentator, expressed concerns about Mullin's qualifications, stating he is “a masculine Kristi Noem.”

David Frum, former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, commented on Mullin’s lack of relevant experience.

Johnny Jones, Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and TSA agent, discussed concerns over the DHS shutdown and rising airport delays.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that ICE agents would be sent to airports to assist TSA amid the shutdown.

Joe Walsh, former Rep. (R-Ill.), criticized Trump’s nomination of Markwayne Mullin, stating it is “disgraceful.”

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) questioned Mullin about his past comments regarding violence and his alleged "anger issues."

Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) pressed Mullin on who won the 2020 presidential election during his confirmation hearing.

Jason Chaffetz, former Republican lawmaker, criticized both parties for their questioning during Mullin's hearing.

Joe Walsh, former Rep. (R-Ill.), criticized Trump’s nomination of Markwayne Mullin, calling it “disgraceful.”

Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) questioned Mullin about his classified activities during his confirmation hearing.

President Donald Trump nominated Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) to be the next Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary.

Kristi Noem was the previous DHS secretary before being ousted by Trump.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is the Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) voted with Republicans to advance Mullin's nomination.

Joe Walsh, former Rep. (R-Ill.), criticized Mullin's nomination.

Tim Miller, a conservative commentator, expressed concerns about Mullin's qualifications.

David Frum, former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, commented on Mullin's lack of experience.

WHAT:

Mullin stated during his hearing, “I can have different opinions with everybody in this room, but as secretary of homeland I’ll be protecting everybody.”

Mullin indicated he would require judicial warrants for ICE agents to enter homes and businesses, stating, “Judicial warrants will be used to go into houses, into places of businesses, unless we're pursuing someone that enters in that place.”

The Senate is expected to hold a final confirmation vote for Mullin on March 23rd, 2026.

The DHS shutdown has reached 36 days as of March 22nd, 2026, causing significant chaos at airports and staffing issues.

More than 10% of TSA officers did not show up for work on certain days during the shutdown, with reports of 400 TSA officers quitting since the shutdown began.

Duffy mentioned that TSA agents are currently working without pay, and the situation is expected to worsen if the funding issue is not resolved.

Mullin stated during his hearing, “I’m not perfect. I don’t claim to be perfect. I make mistakes just like anybody else.”

Mullin was accused of padding his resume regarding classified activities, with Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) stating, “You did not provide any of that. Today is the first time I'm hearing about your classified activities from 2015 to 2016.”

The Senate advanced Mullin's nomination in a 54 to 37 vote on March 22nd, 2026, with two Democrats voting with Republicans.

The DHS shutdown has lasted for 36 days as of March 22nd, 2026, causing chaos at airports and staffing issues.

Walsh accused Mullin of having “anger issues” and referenced Mullin's past comments about a VA nurse killed by ICE agents.

Mullin stated during his hearing, “I make mistakes just like anybody else. But mistakes, if you own them, you can learn from them and you can move ahead.”

Mullin indicated he would use judicial warrants for ICE agents to enter homes and businesses, stating, “Judicial warrants will be used to go into houses, into places of businesses, unless we're pursuing someone that enters in that place.”

The Senate advanced Mullin's nomination in a 54 to 37 vote on March 22nd, 2026.

Two Democrats voted with all Republicans to advance Mullin's nomination.

A final confirmation vote for Mullin is expected in the coming days.

Mullin's confirmation hearing included accusations of him calling Paul a "freaking snake."

Mullin stated, "I’m not perfect. I don’t claim to be perfect," during his hearing.

Mullin has been in the Senate since 2023 after serving in the House for a decade.

WHERE:

The Senate confirmation hearing took place in Washington, D.C.

DHS is currently shut down, affecting operations at airports.

WHEN:

The Senate is expected to hold a final confirmation vote for Mullin on March 23rd, 2026.

The Senate confirmation hearing took place earlier in March 2026, with specific dates not provided.

The Senate vote occurred on March 22nd, 2026.

Mullin's confirmation hearing took place earlier in March 2026.

The DHS shutdown has lasted for 36 days as of March 22nd, 2026.

WHY:

Mullin's nomination follows Noem's ouster amid scrutiny of DHS's handling of immigration enforcement, particularly after the deaths of two U.S. citizens during protests in Minneapolis.

The ongoing DHS shutdown is a result of Senate Democrats blocking funding in pursuit of reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Mullin's nomination follows intense scrutiny of DHS's handling of immigration enforcement, particularly after the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti during immigration operations in Minnesota.

Senate Democrats have blocked DHS funding in pursuit of reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Mullin's nomination follows Noem's ouster amid scrutiny of DHS's handling of immigration enforcement.

The Senate Democrats have blocked DHS funding in pursuit of reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

HOW:

The Senate advanced Mullin's nomination during a rare weekend session on March 22nd, 2026, amid ongoing debates on an elections bill.

Duffy indicated that the president is looking for ways to alleviate the pain at airports by sending ICE agents to assist TSA, as they are trained in security procedures.

The Senate advanced Mullin's nomination during a rare weekend session on March 22nd, 2026, amid ongoing debates on an elections bill.

The Senate advanced Mullin's nomination during a rare weekend session on March 22nd, 2026.

The Senate advanced Mullin's nomination through a party-line vote, with some bipartisan support.

Mullin's leadership style is stated to focus on "empowering people," differing from Noem's approach.

(UPDATED March 23, 2026 15:35 UTC)

Today, the Senate advanced Markwayne Mullin's nomination during a rare weekend session, setting the stage for a final confirmation vote expected later today. Critics, including Joe Walsh and Tim Miller, have voiced strong concerns about Mullin's qualifications, with Walsh calling the nomination "disgraceful" and Miller likening Mullin to "a masculine Kristi Noem." During his hearing, Mullin emphasized his commitment to protecting everyone as secretary of homeland and outlined his intention to require judicial warrants for ICE agents entering homes and businesses.

(UPDATED March 23, 2026 13:32 UTC)

The ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown has now reached 36 days, leading to significant chaos at airports and staffing shortages, with over 10% of TSA officers absent from work on certain days and around 400 quitting since the shutdown began. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that ICE agents will be deployed to assist TSA agents, who are currently working without pay, as the situation is expected to worsen if funding issues are not resolved. Meanwhile, the Senate is set to hold a final confirmation vote for Mullin today, as Senate Democrats continue to block funding in pursuit of reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

(UPDATED March 23, 2026 09:21 UTC)

In a heated confirmation hearing, President Trump's nominee Markwayne Mullin faced sharp criticism from both sides of the aisle, with Joe Walsh calling the nomination "disgraceful" and Sen. Rand Paul questioning Mullin about his past comments on violence. Despite the scrutiny, the Senate advanced Mullin's nomination with a 54 to 37 vote on March 22, with two Democrats joining Republicans, while the Department of Homeland Security shutdown continues to create chaos at airports after 36 days. Mullin acknowledged his imperfections during the hearing, stating, "I’m not perfect. I don’t claim to be perfect," as he faced accusations regarding his resume and the handling of immigration enforcement in light of recent tragic events.

(UPDATED March 23, 2026 01:30 UTC)

In a heated Senate confirmation hearing earlier this month, Joe Walsh criticized Trump’s nomination of Markwayne Mullin, calling it “disgraceful,” while Senator Gary Peters questioned Mullin about his classified activities. Mullin defended himself by acknowledging his past mistakes and emphasized that he would use judicial warrants for ICE agents to enter homes and businesses, unless they were pursuing someone already inside. The Senate advanced Mullin's nomination during a rare weekend session on March 22, following intense scrutiny of the Department of Homeland Security's handling of immigration enforcement.

(UPDATED March 22, 2026 19:13 UTC)

Today, President Trump nominated Senator Markwayne Mullin from Oklahoma to be the next Secretary of Homeland Security, following the ousting of Kristi Noem. The Senate advanced Mullin's nomination with a vote of fifty-four to thirty-seven, with two Democrats joining Republicans in support, and a final confirmation vote is expected soon. Mullin, who has been in the Senate since 2023 after a decade in the House, faced scrutiny during his confirmation hearing, where he acknowledged his imperfections and was accused of calling Senator Rand Paul a "freaking snake."