All posts tagged "markwayne mullin"

GOP losing confidence on ICE bill fight that could easily 'derail': analysis

Members of the Republican Party reportedly feel less confident about pushing through a Department of Homeland Security bill that includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement funding.

The DHS has faced a protracted funding crisis as negotiations between Democrats and Republicans have stalled over competing demands regarding immigration enforcement agencies. The partial government shutdown has lasted more than a month, leaving employees at the Transportation Security Administration and other DHS agencies without pay.

The core dispute centers on funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol operations. Senate Democrats signaled opposition to a House Republican continuing resolution aimed at ending the partial government shutdown, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stating the proposal would be "dead on arrival" in the chamber.

The Washington Post reporters Riley Beggin and Theodric Meyer both noted that some within the GOP are aware of the slim margin the party has in passing the funding bill.

They wrote, "Some House Republicans are demanding assurances that there will be another chance to pass remaining GOP policy priorities before the end of the year if they support a narrowly written ICE and Border Patrol funding bill.

"Republicans have an extremely slim majority in the House, and a small handful of objectors could derail the plan. Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Missouri) wouldn’t rule out demanding additional measures in the immigration funding bill, saying he’s 'not confident' there will be another reconciliation bill."

Burlison added, "I think we're wasting an opportunity. This may be the last train that leaves the station."

Markwayne Mullin, who was drafted into the DHS to replace the outgoing Kristi Noem, has also sounded the alarm on the state of the department and its finances.

He said that a $150 billion immigration enforcement budget, which is used to pay employee wages, will soon run out. Speaking during an appearance on Fox and Friends Tuesday (April 21), he said, "That money is dried up, if I continue down this path, the first week of May. My payroll through DHS is just over $1.6 billion every two weeks.

"So the money is going extremely fast, and once that happens, there is no emergency funds after that."

Mullin already under the gun as DHS confronts 'its biggest challenge': insider

Newly appointed Department of Homeland Security head Markwayne Mullin is already under fire as the agency faces a major challenge, an insider has claimed.

Mullin was appointed DHS head to replace the fired Kristi Noem, but has hardly hit the ground running in the new role. Insiders and political analysts believe the pressure is already on for Mullin to unite the Republican Party and improve immigration figures. Mike Howell, who leads the Oversight Project, a far-right watchdog group, told Politico that there is still confusion over Mullin's stances.

Howell added, "During this grace period, things have happened that have been counter to the mass deportation cause, and nothing seems to have happened that is in favor of the mass deportation cause."

A person close to the White House, who was granted anonymity to discuss the story, has suggested this could be a bigger issue than one of policy at the DHS.

They claimed, "Is it simply an image issue, or is it also an image and a policy issue? I think they’re trying to navigate all of that. That’s going to be his biggest challenge, dealing with what the base wants, but also what the donors and advisers want."

Politico analysts Eric Bazail-Eimil and Myah Ward added the ongoing DHS shutdown has not helped Mullin, who is struggling to stabilize the department less than a month into the job.

They wrote, "Mullin also continues to face the complexities of a weekslong shutdown of the department over the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Legislation to end the shutdown has stalled.

"Republican leaders in Congress say they are renewing the push to fund DHS next week, but it’s unclear if enough Republicans and Democrats will vote to finally break the impasse.

"Trump himself acknowledged the tall order ahead of Mullin in remarks at a White House Easter Brunch in March, where he said he plucked Mullin from a safe seat in the Senate to 'three years of turmoil at DHS.'"

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) believes the changes Mullin has made so far are "largely superficial and cosmetic" and that he is yet to oversee a "basic change in the substance of policies, which are supposed to be going after the worst of the worst."

Democratic Party officials are not the only opposition to Mullin, with Senator Jim Justice (R-W.V.) saying the Republican Party must step in should the uncertainty continue.

"We've got to give him time to get his feet on the ground," Justice said. "Three months and a day, if we're sputtering and everything else - different animal."

New DHS head 'whitewashing ICE's illegal conduct' with sweeping change: analysis

Department of Homeland Security head Markwayne Mullin has been accused of covering up the failings of Kristi Noem's tenure as the agency's head.

Joyce Vance, who served as the United States attorney for the Northern District of Alabama from 2009 to 2017, suggested the recent resignation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement head Todd Lyons is a sign of the DHS sweeping controversial issues under the rug.

Mullin said of Lyons' resignation, "Thanks to his leadership, American communities are safer. We wish him luck on his next opportunity in the private sector." Lyons was named ICE's acting head by Trump in March 2025, and the search for a replacement is now underway.

It marks one of several high-profile departures from the agency, which Vance believes is a sign of the Trump administration attempting to save face.

Vance, writing in her Civil Discourse Substack, claimed the departures are a statement from the admin to suggest reformation of the DHS is underway.

"Lyons’ departure is one more step toward whitewashing ICE’s illegal conduct during this administration," she wrote. "Greg Bovino, who strode the streets of Minneapolis in his trench coat surrounded by heavily armed men who looked more like thugs than federal agents, is gone."

"He, too, retired from the agency. ICE is (supposedly) out of Minneapolis, and out of Maine. Protests and mayhem are no longer front-page news. But that doesn’t mean ICE has somehow been magically reformed.

"ICE has grown dramatically under Trump. Ten years ago, the agency had an annual budget that was less than $6 billion, making it one of the smaller agencies at DHS. In just one year under Trump, it has become the federal law enforcement agency with the biggest budget at $85 billion.

"That includes not just DHS law enforcement agencies, but all of them, including the ones within the Justice Department, including the FBI, whose budget request for 2026 was just over $10 billion.

"The Brennan Center’s Lauren-Brooke Eisen put those numbers in context: ICE is now funded at a level “larger than the annual budget of all other federal law enforcement agencies combined.” What precisely is Trump building there?"

Vance went on to suggest that, despite ICE presence on the streets of US cities, the controversies were now predominantly found in the holding prisons.

She wrote, "Almost every day, there is still a new story about ICE. But events are no longer unfolding in front of us on American streets. They’re happening behind bars where summary reports can gloss over the truth."

White House yanks nomination for Kristi Noem's old deputy: report

Troy Edgar will rejoin the Department of Homeland Security in the same role as deputy secretary under new DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin after the White House withdrew his nomination for ambassador of El Salvador on Monday, Politico reported.

Edgar was the agency's number two under now ousted former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and was expected to work in a new role, but that has reportedly shifted, according to two administration officials and two others who are close to the administration and commented to Politico about the change under conditions of anonymity.

In December, Edgar seemingly departed from the department after President Donald Trump announced his nomination as ambassador to El Salvador. He had a hearing in March, but now things have changed.

No official statement has been made inside the department about Edgar's return to his former position, but he returned to DHS headquarters once Trump removed Noem from her role, an administration official said.

"And on internal documents — as well as the public DHS leadership page — Edgar is listed again in the deputy secretary position in recent days, the administration official said. The DHS website was updated last week," according to Politico.

Last month, The National Review reported that Edgar was Mullin's top pick to help lead the agency.

"The Admin is withdrawing Troy’s nomination and the withdrawal is expected to be transmitted to the Senate today," a Trump administration official told Politico. "Troy never resigned from his DHS position so he was able to return."

'Rumor mill is swirling' as MAGA women reportedly 'on edge' over who Trump will cut next

MAGA women in the Trump cabinet were reportedly "on edge" Friday after President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Bondi's ousting followed the removal and demotion of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as questions arise over who might get the axe next, according to The Swamp, the Daily Beast's Substack.

"Pam Bondi’s ouster has sparked a mild panic across Washington as officials and aides wonder: Who’s next? And will it be another woman?" The Swamp reported. "While Bondi’s sacking was somewhat inevitable after her botched handling of the Epstein files and her failure to successfully prosecute Trump’s enemies, the fact it comes merely weeks after Kristi Noem was replaced by Markwayne Mullin hasn’t gone unnoticed. Now, the rumor mill is swirling over Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer."

It's unclear whether Trump intends to cut Gabbard or Chavez-DeRemer — but both members of the administration have come under scrutiny over different concerns.

"Gabbard has been at odds with Trump over Iran, while Trump is reportedly unhappy with Chavez-DeRemer’s performance," according to The Swamp.

Those weren't the only Trump administration officials in hot water.

"But there have also been other women in Trump’s orbit who haven’t fared well — just ask Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who was forced to give up a plum post as UN ambassador so Trump could keep his razor thin GOP House majority," The Swamp reported. "Or MAGA loyalist Kari Lake, who wanted a senior role in Trump’s cabinet and ended up with the headache of trying to overhaul The Voice Of America. Even Education Secretary Linda McMahon has effectively been hobbled given the dismantling of her department. Coincidence or trend?"

Senate scrambles for DHS deal before two-week recess: 'Time for us to do our job'

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers were cautiously optimistic on Thursday as the Senate was trying to reach a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security and end the government shutdown.

In a series of exclusive interviews with Raw Story, several senators explained how they were uncertain whether a deal could be reached as Congress was just hours away from its two-week April recess.

Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) was asked if she was hopeful the Senate could reach an agreement to fund DHS.

"We'll see, but I certainly think it's time for us to do our job," Britt said.

The discussions were still ongoing Thursday afternoon.

"We're reviewing that right now," said Sen. Angus King (I-ME).

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) was hesitant to say what the caucuses were discussing and if the lawmakers were closer to reaching a deal.

"I don't want to say one way or the other," Schatz said.

Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) signaled that senators had more to work out together, but there was one area where everyone was on the same page.

"I think the good news is that there is very broad agreement that we have to fund TSA," Coons said. "Bad news is that there's not yet agreement on sort of exactly how to."

Coons also said that Democrats did not plan to budge on their demands for ICE and were still focused on agency reforms, adding that new Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said during his confirmation hearing that he would take a closer look at those suggestions.

"It's Thursday," Coons added. "Wouldn't it be great to resolve this?"

Trump again hurls Pete Hegseth under the bus over Iran war

President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was angry about settling the Iran war.

Trump was taking press questions after swearing in new Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin in the Oval Office when he gave a frank response about the status of the ongoing military conflict in the Middle East, which has now reached its fourth week and left 13 troops dead and 232 service members wounded.

This was the second time in two days that Trump had punted the blame to Hegseth over the war. On Monday, during a visit to Tennessee, Trump claimed that Hegseth urged him to pursue joint military strikes with Israel on Iran.

"I don’t want to say this, but I have to. I said to Pete and General Caine, I think this thing [the war] is going to be settled very soon. They said, 'Oh, that’s too bad.' Pete didn’t want it to be settled," Trump said.

Political commentator Brian Krassenstein shared the video on X, saying, "In other words our Sec. of War doesn't want peace, he wants war."

Several other people commented on social media after the president's remarks.

"Caine getting tossed under the bus for good measure now too. Dude is just out here blaming everyone lmao," commentator Bill DeMayo wrote on X.

"Trump trying to spread blame like butter on toast," progressive commentator Bill Johnson wrote on X.

BREAKING: Trump just said that Pete Hegseth was angry that there may be a settlement in the Iran war. He said that Hegseth doesn’t want it to be settled.

"I don’t want to say this but I have to… Pete didn’t want it to be settled."

In other words our Sec. of War doesn't… pic.twitter.com/LcbAagDFHw
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) March 24, 2026

MAGA loses it as GOP gov appoints senator who donated to Trump foe: 'This should end him!'

MAGA fans were outraged after the controversial replacement for Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) was announced on Tuesday.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed oil and gas executive Alan Armstrong, who had formerly made a $5,800 donation to one of President Donald Trump's enemies, former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL). Kinzinger had voted to impeach Trump, and the donation came around that time.

Stitt announced the appointment in a post on X, just hours after Mullin was formally confirmed late Monday as the new Homeland Security Secretary, replacing the outgoing embattled Trump administration leader Kristi Noem. Noem was fired by President Donald Trump, who appointed Mullin and moved Noem into another role.

"Alan is a proud third-generation Oklahoman, staunch conservative, respected business leader, and a devoted family man with an inspiring American Dream story," Stitt said.

"He is entering the U.S. Senate at a critical time for advancing reforms to secure America’s energy future. I have no doubt that his perspective will be influential in moving the needle on permitting reform to unlock American competitiveness and energy affordability for generations to come," Stitt added.

MAGA followers on social media were furious with the move, with several people calling Stitt a "RINO," a biting acronym for Republican in name only.

"Another RINO. lock and step. These people hate MAGA," Justin Baugher, who frequently shares MAGA-related content on his social media, wrote on X.

"Armstrong DONATED to Adam Kinzinger AFTER he voted to impeach President Trump and joined the J6 witch hunt committee. You couldn’t be more anti-Trump if you tried," Jessica, a paralegal and nutritionist who self-describes as MAGA and MAHA, wrote on X.

"Good this Should END @GovStitt any political ambitions he ever had!!! We are SICK of RINOS!!!" User janconcern, who self-identifies as MAGA, wrote on X.

"Wow. Just like he made us proud when he supported Biden. True RINO’s stick together," Sherre Ann, who self-describes as an "America First Patriot," wrote on X.

MAGA furious as it discovers likely replacement for Markwayne Mullin funded Trump nemesis

MAGA loyalists were unhappy Monday after discovering the replacement for Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), oil and gas executive Alan Armstrong, had made a political contribution to one of President Donald Trump's adversaries.

Armstrong was slated to visit Trump at Mar-a-Lago with Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt to talk about the plans to appoint him to potentially serve the rest of Mullin's remaining term in the Senate as Mullin takes over to lead the Department of Homeland Security, The Daily Beast reported.

Although the details of the discussions were not immediately released, the conversation was expected to touch on Armstrong's $5,800 donation to former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL). Kinzinger had voted to impeach Trump and the donation came around that time, according to NOTUS.

Stitt has also reportedly floated the idea of two other people replacing Mullin, including Stitt's own senior advisor Dustin Hilliary and oil and gas magnate Harold Hamm.

Some of Trump's MAGA allies were furious over the move to potentially bring Armstrong to Capitol Hill.

Right-wing activist Laura Loomer was enraged over the development.

“Has anyone told President Trump that the Governor of Oklahoma is bringing a Never Trumper who donated to a rabid anti-Trump Congressman who voted to impeach him after J6 to meet with him?” Loomer wrote on X. “Hey @SenMullin what do you think about your Never Trump replacement? Now would be a good time for you to speak up!”

Roger Stone, longtime political consultant and staunch ally of President Donald Trump, had a similar reaction.

“Alan Armstrong the Oklahoma Oil Man RINO Governor Stitt wants to appoint to the vacancy in the US Senate gave thousands of dollars to Trump enemy Little Adam Kinzinger AFTER the Jan 6 Fedsurrection,” Stone wrote on X.

Stone also added that Stitt should select Hamm to replace Mullin.

"RINO Oklahoma Gov Stitt should appoint Harold Hamm instead of Adam Kinzinger Megadonor Alan Armstrong to Oklahoma's vacancy in the US Senate," Stone wrote on X.

Co-founder of Students for Trump, Ryan Fournier, had a similar sentiment.

"Gov. Stitt is pushing for Alan Armstrong to replace Mullin in the Senate. Armstrong donated thousands to Never-Trumper Adam Kinzinger after he voted to impeach Trump," Fournier wrote on X.

GOP senator blows gaping hole into Markwayne Mullin's curious 'classified' story

Sen. Markwayne Mullin was under fire on Wednesday following questions over his travel for a "classified" reason when more information surfaced about what really occurred.

Mullin, who was tapped by President Donald Trump to replace Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, refused to explain the "classified work" that he had claimed to have done outside the United States and did not provide lawmakers with any further details.

But several people were quick to point out online what Mullin really had done, including fellow Republican Sen. James Lankford from Mullin's home state of Oklahoma, after the nominee had claimed the House had classified the trip, which it does not have the power to do.

Lankford pointed out that Mullin might have actually signed a non-disclosure agreement.

"Sen. LANKFORD says the trip is being overblown," Punchbowl News reporter Laura Weiss wrote on X. "'This is a mountain out of a molehill issue.' LANKFORD says MULLIN is under a non-disclosure agreement related to the trip - rather than that it’s classified, which is how MULLIN described it. He adds it related to a whistleblower."

Kyle Cheney, senior legal affairs reporter for Politico, pointed out the exchange and what it revealed.

"Mullin claimed that the House sent him on a classified trip that only four people knew about," Cheney wrote on X. "When Paul and Peters pressed him on which agency classified it, it led to this exchange:

MULLIN: It wasn’t an agency. It was done here, well, in the House at the time.
PETERS: The House classified it?
MULLIN: I’m assuming.
Except the House doesn't have that power. All classification authority flows from the president/executive."