(AFP) – Senator Markwayne Mullin, nominated to head the Department of Homeland Security, is a burly former wrestler, a mixed martial arts fighter, and a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump. A member of the Cherokee Nation, the 48-year-old Republican senator from the central state of Oklahoma is currently the only Native American serving in the US Senate. Mullin was elected to the Senate in 2022 after serving 10 years in the US House of Representatives.
Trump, in announcing Mullin’s nomination to head DHS, called him a “MAGA Warrior” — a reference to the Republican president’s Make America Great Again movement. Trump also referenced Mullin’s brief foray into mixed martial arts, where he had a 5-0 record as a professional MMA fighter.
**Wrestler turned businessman**
A wrestler during his school years, Mullin was inducted into the Oklahoma Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016. Mullin grew up on a ranch in Oklahoma and dropped out of college at the age of 20 to take over the family’s plumbing business when his father fell ill, according to his official Senate biography. He expanded Mullin Plumbing and ventured into a variety of other businesses, including opening a steakhouse in the town of Stilwell.
Mullin replaces former South Dakota governor Kristi Noem as head of DHS, the agency tasked with carrying out the president’s sweeping immigration crackdown. “Markwayne will work tirelessly to Keep our Border Secure, Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country, End the Scourge of Illegal Drugs and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN,” Trump said in a Truth Social post announcing his nomination.
In a post on X, Mullin thanked the president for the nomination. “President Trump ran on restoring law and order, and he quickly delivered the most secure US border in American history,” Mullin said. “I look forward to supporting @POTUS’ mission to safeguard the American people and defend the homeland.”
Trump, in his Truth Social post, also pointed to Mullin’s Native American heritage, saying he would be a “fantastic advocate for our incredible Tribal Communities.” Mullin will need confirmation from the Republican-majority Senate to take up his post, and at least one Democratic senator has already said that he will vote for him.
Senate Democratic minority leader Chuck Schumer signaled his opposition, however. “I’ve been asked if I would support Sen. Mullin as Noem’s replacement,” Schumer said on X. “The answer is a resounding NO.” “The rot in DHS is deep, much deeper than any individual. It’s a question of policy not personnel,” he said.
Mullin and his wife, Christie, have six children.
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