Executive Summary

Markwayne Mullin, a former mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, business owner and long-time Republican from Oklahoma, was appointed Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by his “close friend” Donald Trump on 24 March 2026. From starting fights in Senate hearings to indicating approval of the near-fatal violence Senator Rand Paul endured in 2017 – his appointment has brought significant concern, but also a measure of hope for some after the tenure of Kristi Noem. [source] 

Mullin’s appointment likely signals the intensification of politicised U.S. agencies under President Trump. Additionally, Mullin is likely to continue hardline immigration enforcement like his predecessor, but focus on moderating the optics, relying less on high profile tactics. Under Mullin, FEMA will likely be steadier following recent turmoil, but with a more constrained, supporting role that aligns with Trump’s vision. 

Profile

Professional Path 

• 1997: Assumed control of his family’s plumbing business, Mullin Plumbing. Mullin Plumbing expanded to one of the largest plumbing services in Oklahoma. [source, source] 
• 2011: Began hosting House Talk, a call-in radio program for home improvement. [source] 
• 2012: Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives (Oklahoma’s 2nd district). Re-elected in 2014, 2016, 2018 and again in 2020. [source, source] 
• 2013-2023: U.S. Representative for Oklahoma’s second congressional district. [source] 
• 2021: Sold Mullin Plumbing to a private equity firm; although he still owns a small stake. source] 
• 2023-2026: Junior U.S. senator. [source]
• March 2026: Appointed as the Secretary of DHS. [source] 

Education

• Graduated from Stillwell High School, Oklahoma. [source]
• 1996: Attended Missouri Valley College. [source]
• 2010: Received an Associate’s degree from Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology, Okmulgee, Oklahoma. [source, source] 

Important Relationships/ties/networks

• President Donald Trump: described as a close friend; Markwayne Mullin stated Trump even offered financial support for his son’s medical care. [source]
• Tulsi Gabbard: Mullin has referred to Gabbard as a “very good friend.” [source]

Political affiliation (Republican)

• Avid supporter of Trump, described as a “MAGA warrior.” [source, source]
• Believed to be a hardliner – Mullin made it clear that he supports “the most extreme immigration policies Trump world can offer.” [source]

Religious affiliation 

• Markwayne Mullin ascribes to Pentecostal Christianity. 
• Him and his immediate family are members of the Assembly of God Church. [source]

Personal life

• Markwayne Mullin is 48 years old, born on 26 July 1977 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. [source] 
• Mullin is a Cherokee nation citizen and first to hold a Cabinet position in the U.S. [source] 
• Mullin has six children: Laura, Andrew, Jim, Ivy, Lynette and Jayce. [source] 
• He married his high school sweetheart, Christie Renee Rowan. [source] 
• Mullin is the son of Jim Martin and Brenda Gayle Morris Mullin. He is the youngest of seven children. [source] 

Personality

• Markwayne Mullin has garnered a reputation over time for aggressive and confrontational behaviour. [source] 
• Alongside this, he has also been criticised for his inappropriate behaviour. In 2015, 40 lawmakers and their spouses visited Israel, visiting places like the Iron Dome and a kibbutz. One official’s wife, Kathleen Trott, told Politico that when sleeping on the bus there, “this idiot starts walking up and down the bus with his camera and anyone who fell asleep, he would put his finger in their nose and take a picture.” [source, source] 

Hobbies 

• According to the DHS website, Mullin is a former Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter with a professional record of 5-0. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016. [source]

Medical issues

• Mullin grew up with a speech impediment. He also had clubfoot, wore braces and had to undergo several surgeries. [source]

Controversies 

• Mullin as a ‘Chickenhawk’
  • Critics have accused Mullin of being a “chickenhawk” – speaking like a veteran, frequently pursuing aggressive policies, while having no service record. Mullin’s statements, such as about the “smell” of war, often appears as though he’s had first-hand combat experience, drawing scrutiny especially from actual veterans.  [source]
  • According to Axios, who spoke with individuals that heard conversations between Mullin and his colleagues, he had previously hinted that he was involved in dangerous private security work in Middle East war zones prior to 2012. [source]

• Threatening physical fight in Senate hearing
  • In 2023, Markwayne Mullin threatened to fight Sean O’Brien during a Senate hearing after a personal dispute, drawing bipartisan criticism as unprofessional conduct in Congress. [source]
• Mullin as a “man with anger issues”
  • Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chair Rand Paul criticised Mullin during his confirmation hearing for Mullin’s remarks naming Paul a “‘freaking snake” that “understood” why Paul got assaulted. The assault that Mullin referred to, left Rand with six broken ribs and a damaged lung. [source] 
  • Paul confronted Mullin during the DHS meeting: “You have never had the courage to look me in the eye and tell me that the assault was justified, so today you’ll have your chance. Today I’ll give you that chance to clear the record. Tell it to my face, if that’s what you believe… Tell me to my face why you think I deserved it.” Paul further added, “And while you’re at it, explain to the American public why they should trust a man with anger issues to set the proper example for ICE and Border Patrol agents.”

• Mixing commercial business with political advertising
  • In his first campaign for House, he produced advertisements featuring his plumbing company, which led to complaints about meshing commercial promotion with political campaigning. [source]
• Lack of experience
  • Mullin lacks experience in disaster management, law enforcement, security, or intelligence. He also neither served on the House Homeland security committee or the Senate homeland committee, raising questions about how qualified he is, or isn’t, for such a demanding and important position. [source, source]
• $1.45 million worth of loans forgiven
  • Mullin’s plumbing businesses received $1.45 million in Paycheck Protection program loans in April 2020. The White House, on X (then Twitter), hit back at Republicans, targeting GOP lawmakers who criticised Biden for cancelling some student debt considering the significant amount of loans like Mullin’s, forgiven to the same critics. [source, source]
• Cherokee identity
  • Critics have argued Mullin leans on his Cherokee identity only when politically useful. Sancongah Gray, a Cherokee Nation citizen, stated “I think a lot of people will take advantage of their ancestry and use that as a tool for personal gain…I think that is, unfortunately, what’s happening in a case like this.” [source] 
• Views on Alex Pretti
  • Faced criticism for publicly defending the federal agents in the killing of Alex Pretti and backing the official account. He has since apologised for his remarks, calling Pretti “deranged” and did not issue a direct apology to Pretti’s family. [source] 
• Skepticism of vaccines
  • During a televised interview, Markwayne Mullin appeared to entertain questions about vaccine safety and autism by pointing to rising autism diagnoses and questioning why children receive so many shots. [source]