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Vermont Democratic Sen. Peter Welch praised Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., Friday, arguing he will be confirmed as the new DHS secretary because he’s a “respected” lawmaker.
President Donald Trump recently nominated Mullin to take the top post at the Department of Homeland Security in a high-profile personnel shakeup.
CNN host Kasie Hunt asked Welch whether he would consider supporting Mullin’s appointment to the role.
“Yeah, he‘ll be confirmed. The question is whether there‘ll be bipartisan support for him,” Welch replied. “Markwayne Mullin is competent, and he‘s honest. So, those are two good things that Kristi Noem did not have.
Vermont Democratic Sen. Peter Welch praised Sen. Markwayne Mullin as a man of good character who is respected by his peers. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
“This is going to give us an opportunity to have a real discussion about what‘s going on with the Department of Homeland Security. No. 1, what we saw with that rampage in Minneapolis cannot ever happen again. You had Kristi Noem, who essentially was calling two people who got killed domestic terrorists. Are we going to continue to have raids on churches, on farms, on work sites? Are we going to be threatened with election interference?
“We‘re going to have an opportunity to speak with Sen. Mullin and go to the heart of some of these questions that I think are troubling many Republicans as well as Democrats.”
“And do you think that it‘s likely it will be bipartisan?” Hunt asked. “I mean, I suppose Sen. Fetterman from Pennsylvania, is a Democrat, has already indicated that. Beyond that, do you get the sense that there might be willingness inside your caucus to go beyond that?”
MS NOW PRODUCER SLAMMED FOR ‘ELITIST’ SWIPE AT TRUMP’S DHS PICK MARKWAYNE MULLIN
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., appears to be the likely next head of the DHS. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“Well, Markwayne is — he‘s respected. He‘s honest, and he‘s competent,” Welch responded, noting his concerns about the future and his objections to recent DHS policy such as masked agents and raids on workplaces.
“So, the issue, I think, with Markwayne is going to be much more about the policy and what he is going to be offering us as we look ahead rather than his personal qualities because people respect Markwayne.”
Digital reached out to ICE for comment and did not receive an immediate reply.
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U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., tapped by U.S. President Donald Trump to replace U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, greets a U.S. Capitol Police officer as he departs the U.S. Capitol after a vote in the U.S. Senate on funding for DHS in Washington, D.C., March 5, 2026. (Kylie Cooper/Reuters)
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