U.S. President Donald Trump has appointed Senator Markwayne Mullin, one of the most loyal members of Congress to his policies, to head the Department of Homeland Security, replacing Kristi Noem. Mullin, a staunch supporter of the 'MAGA' (Make America Great Again) movement, is expected to lead the department in line with Trump's immigration policy, which aims to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. Mullin's loyalty to Trump led him to support the president's claims of fraud in the 2020 elections, which Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Mullin, who represents Oklahoma in the U.S. Senate, caused a stir in Congress when he got into a 'shouting match' with the head of the truck drivers' union, Sean O'Brien, during a 2023 hearing. During his time in the House of Representatives, the Ethics Committee reviewed his business dealings, and although it concluded that Mullin acted in good faith and followed the committee's recommendations, it decided he should repay $40,000 he received from a transportation company transferred to his wife in 2012. Mullin's departure from the Senate comes just months before the midterm elections, when the entire House of Representatives and a third of the Senate will be elected. The governor of Oklahoma can appoint someone to fill the Senate vacancy until the November elections. Mullin took office as a senator from Oklahoma in January 2023 after 10 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. The senator acknowledged that the decision 'was not a complete surprise,' but said he did not expect to hear from the president last week. In a reconciling tone toward Democrats who have sharply criticized the direction the Department of Homeland Security has taken and have continued to block funding for the department over disagreements with Trump's immigration agenda, Mullin said: 'Yes, I'm a Republican, yes, I'm a conservative, but my focus is on keeping our country safe.' He added, addressing Americans: 'Regardless of whether you support me or not, and regardless of your opinions, I am here to implement the policies that Congress has passed.' Of his predecessor, Noem, he said: 'She was tasked with an extremely difficult task.' Senate Republican Leader John Thune described Mullin as 'the person who whispers in Trump's ear,' telling him what's happening in the Senate and allowing him to influence it. Mullin represented the president during the 2024 campaign, especially among Native American voters in contested states. Mullin's departure adds a layer of uncertainty to elections where the Republican party is expected to lose its majority due to Trump's declining approval rating. Mullin was born in Oklahoma, grew up on his family's farm in Westville, where he still lives with his wife and six children. Mullin describes himself on his X account as 'a Christian, a proud husband and father of six, a conservative and a MAGA supporter.' Mullin is a member of the Cherokee Nation and is currently the only Native American in the Senate. He is also a member of Senate committees on Armed Services, Appropriations, Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and Indian Affairs. Mullin's nomination still needs to be confirmed by the Senate, but that only requires a simple majority, as Republicans hold 53 of the 100 seats, Democrats hold 45, and there are two independents. Democratic Senator from Pennsylvania John Fetterman has already announced he will vote for his appointment, and it is expected that more lawmakers from his party will follow suit. Analysts describe Mullin as a strong candidate who has more support in Congress from Democrats than Kristi Noem, whom they repeatedly called for her dismissal. In his first statement as a nominee for Secretary of Homeland Security, Mullin said: 'I have a very good relationship with the president, we talk all the time.'
