Markwayne Mullin vows to 'protect everybody' as he is sworn in as DHS Secretary

WASHINGTON, DC: Sen. Markwayne Mullin was sworn in on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, as the ninth secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), replacing Kristi Noem in a ceremony attended by President Donald Trump.

The former MMA champion and plumbing business owner takes over the agency at a time of growing turbulence and congressional pressure. His confirmation marked the culmination of a contentious process shaped by Republican infighting and strategic Democratic support. 

Markwayne Mullin reflects on commitment to homeland security

As Trump invited Mullin to speak, he reflected on the moment with a mix of awe and humility. He said, "I think that was the most nervous I've ever been. I don't uh it just seems surreal being in the Oval Office and having the president of the United States speak so highly of me and then recognize my family and know my family by name."

Mullin went on to highlight his commitment to serving all Americans, regardless of political affiliation, saying, "It's it's humbling and I never take it for granted. But I made this very clear that I don't care what color your state is. I don't care if you're red or you're blue. At the end of the day, my job is to be Secretary of Homeland and to protect everybody the same."

He also emphasized his dedication to the department and its mission, saying, "And we will do that. Uh I'll fight every single day. Today, I got the uh privilege of meeting so many of the employees at DHS."

Mullin praised the DHS staff for their resilience, particularly as many have continued working without pay due to blocked funding.

"Employees have been there for 30 days without pay. And if you need anything to know their dedication to show up and still protect the homeland that you and I enjoy and uh the freedoms that we're that we're experiencing, they're working with for free because of politics," he said.

Acknowledging the tireless efforts of DHS employees, he assured them of his support, "That's all I need to know. I told him, as you're fighting 365 days, understand I'll be fighting 365 days beside you. No one's going to outwork me and I'm not going to let any of them outwork me."

Concluding his remarks, Mullin expressed gratitude for the trust placed in him, "The president has entrusted me with this and failure is not an option. Thank you so much Mr. President for this opportunity. I won't let you down."

Markwayne Mullin confirmation battle amid GOP, Democratic divisions

During his Senate confirmation process, Mullin narrowly advanced after clashing with Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul over his reaction to an incident in which Paul’s neighbor blindsided the senator in his yard, fracturing his ribs.

Paul voted against advancing Mullin’s nomination in committee, creating a fracture within GOP ranks. That internal Republican opposition forced a strategic turn, as Mullin needed support from Democrats to clear the committee.

Sen. John Fetterman provided the crucial vote to advance the nomination, a notable move given Fetterman’s past political alignments. Once on the Senate floor, Mullin also garnered support from Sen. Martin Heinrich, who publicly said he didn’t believe Mullin would be “bullied” or take orders from White House advisers.

Mullin has taken the helm of DHS amid intense scrutiny, as Democrats withheld funding for key DHS sub-agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), in hopes of forcing reforms to immigration enforcement operations at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

He replaced Noem, who was recently picked by the White House to lead the Shield of the Americas security initiative.