The tough-guy former MMA fighter Donald Trump has primed to replace DHS chief Kristi Noem can’t stop dropping hints about his secret war-zone missions.
Noem, dubbed ‘ICE Barbie’ by the Daily Beast for her propensity to dress up and not do much actual work, became the first major casualty of Trump 2.0 when the president decided to fire her on March 5.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma was quickly readied as her replacement, with Trump crowing on Truth Social that the “MAGA Warrior” would “make a spectacular Secretary of Homeland Security.” He faces a confirmation hearing before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday.
The 48-year-old’s résumé includes stints running the family plumbing business, a short but undefeated pro fighting career, 10 years as a congressman, and three years as a senator. There is no mention, however, of any stint in the military.
This is strange, given Mullin’s propensity to mention—but never elaborate on—secret war-zone missions. Three colleagues who have been privy to his incessant hint-dropping have told Axios that he just can’t help himself. “He’s just talked about his time overseas, like, you know, protecting our country without specifics,” one lawmaker said.
Another colleague said that Mullin, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, offered some clarity by insisting he wasn’t a part of the Armed Forces. “He’s not trying to bolster himself up. It was just sort of a matter-of-fact story,” the lawmaker said. “He’s very clear that he wasn’t in the armed services.”
The colleagues said that Mullin had suggested he did dangerous security work for the U.S. government, likely in Middle East war zones. Axios reported that “in at least one private meeting,” Mullin said he doesn’t mention his service in Afghanistan in public because of the sensitivity of the work.
Indeed, Mullin refused to offer any light when approached for comment. “Brother, you know that I can’t—I can’t talk about any questions like this,” he told Axios. “You’ve got to refer all your questions to the White House.”
The Daily Beast has approached Mullin and the White House for comment.
A spokesperson for the senator conceded that he “has participated in CODELs [Congressional Delegations] in his official capacity to represent the United States abroad, advance U.S. national security interests, and strengthen our allied partnerships.”
“Over the years, prior to public service, Mullin did mission work and provided individual mentorship support—from a Christian perspective—to U.S. troops as they transitioned home, as well as trusted allies who have helped support America’s interests,” they told Axios.
Mullin hasn’t mentioned this particular part of his résumé in any of his five runs for the House, or in his 2022 Senate campaign. However, it is likely to come up when he goes before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday.
Mullin has kept quiet on the detail, but hasn’t exactly kept his lips sealed. In fact, he has incessantly hinted at some secret past.
Just days before Noem got the chop, Mullin was on Fox News talking about “the smell of war.”
“War is ugly, it smells bad, and if anybody’s ever been there, and been able to smell the war that’s happened around you and taste it and feel it in your nostrils and hear it, it’s something that you’ll never forget, and it’s ugly,” he vividly recounted.
The next day, during a podcast, he admitted he took part in “special assignments” but “never wore the uniform or the flag.”
In 2021, he was part of an attempted rescue mission of Americans in Afghanistan after suicide bombers attacked Kabul’s airport, killing 13 U.S. service members. The Washington Post reported that a wild plan to eject Americans was knocked back by both the Biden administration and other countries close to Afghanistan.
He has put on record his disappointment with this. “They would never let us in Afghanistan,” he complained on Fox News after the failed operation, saying that Joe Biden has “blood on his hands.”
After mentioning that “tier 1 operators, DELTA guys, special forces” were involved, he humbly added, “I’m nobody. I’m just a congressman.”
“I’m not Rambo. I never pretended to be Rambo.”
