Markwayne Mullin has been confirmed as Secretary of Homeland Security, stepping into a role that demands discipline, judgment, and a steady hand. That would be reassuring if Mullin had built a reputation around any of those things. Instead, he arrives with a history that raises more questions than confidence.

How Noem Was Moved Out—and Mullin Moved In

Before getting to Mullin, it is worth asking how Kristi Noem suddenly ended up out of the job.

One minute she’s testifying in tense hearings, the next she’s out and being “moved” into something else. This wasn’t a routine transition, it was calculated.

And Senator John Kennedy didn’t exactly come out looking like a straight shooter in the process. He played it carefully, kept his distance when it mattered, and helped clear the path without ever fully owning it. That kind of political maneuvering might be business as usual, but it leaves a bad taste when the end result is this kind of leadership swap.

Everything we know on what led up to Noem’s dismissal.

Started with the chaos in Minneapolis, and reached a climax on Tuesday. Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) told reporters he was “offended” when he heard about a $200 million ad contract for DHS that Noem was featured heavily in. He…

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) March 5, 2026

here’s Sen. John Kennedy suggesting earlier today that Noem lied during her testimony earlier this week pic.twitter.com/D6p87vLzyH

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 5, 2026

Senator John Kennedy pushed the idea that she misled lawmakers during her testimony. Noem had publicly described, before those hearings, a conversation with President Trump about those ads. She said it was his suggestion. She did not hide it. She put it on the record.

If her testimony matched what she had already said, then this was not about new information. It was about how it was used. And that is where Kennedy starts to look less like a straight shooter and more like someone shaping a moment. He pressed the issue, let the narrative take hold, and cleared the path without having to say it outright.

Washington does this all the time.

February 21, 2025
User Clip: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem describes ad campaign
From CPAC 2025

Embed video clip link

And now that I have that off my chest….

Because if we are going to talk about Kristi Noem’s wardrobe, hair, and makeup, then we are going to talk about Mullin’s behavior.

Here Comes Mullin

This is not someone who built a reputation as a steady hand. This is someone who has made a name for himself through confrontation and impulse. The most obvious example came during a Senate hearing when Mullin challenged a union leader to a physical fight, right there in the room, in front of cameras, like it was some kind of personal score to settle.

Mullin tends to lean into the moment instead of rising above it. He treats conflict like something to win personally, not something to manage responsibly. That might play well in clips and headlines, but it is a different story when you are talking about the Department of Homeland Security.

That kind of role does not leave room for ego.

A Moment That Still Stands Out

It also does not leave much room for the kind of judgment Mullin has shown in other moments. His comments praising Lt. Michael Byrd, the Capitol Police officer who shot Ashli Babbitt, did not go unnoticed. People can argue about January 6 all day long, but praising that shooting outright tells you something about how Mullin views the use of force and accountability. It draws a clear line, and it is one that a lot of Americans are not comfortable with.

Markwayne Mullin, Trump’s new pick to lead DHS, praised the Capitol cop who shot and killed unarmed Air Force vet Ashli Babbitt on Jan. 6th and portrayed him as the real victim.

“I actually gave him a hug, and I said, ‘Sir, you did what you had to do,'” Mullin told C-SPAN in… pic.twitter.com/V0QDSnsD37

— Chris Menahan 🇺🇸 (@infolibnews) March 5, 2026

And that is where the bigger question comes in.

If Kristi Noem was pushed out over judgment and messaging, then what exactly are we rewarding with Mullin? Because if this is about temperament, Mullin does not exactly come across as the lower-key option. If anything, this looks less like a correction and more like a trade—one strong personality swapped out for another.

Then There Is The Experience Question

Mullin has been in Congress for over a decade, starting in the House before moving to the Senate. Before that, he ran a plumbing and service business. Fine. Plenty of people come to Washington with private-sector backgrounds. But this is not a small business and it is not a congressional office. This is Homeland Security. Running crews and winning elections is one thing. Managing a massive federal agency with national security responsibilities is something else entirely.

One Democrat who voted for Mullin, Senator Martin Heinrich, praised him as someone who cannot be bullied into changing his views. That may sound like strength, but it can also mean someone who refuses to adjust when it matters. Independence is one thing. Judgment is another.

So I guess it’s out with the Cowboy Barbie and in with the Professional MMA Fighter.

And yes, I am still not over how Kristi Noem was pushed out. For a while there, it sounded like the biggest problem at Homeland Security was her hair and makeup. That is what they zeroed in on. I thought she did a great job. And it also makes you wonder how much appetite there really is for tough enforcement once it starts playing out in real time. It is easy to support it in theory. It is a different story when it becomes visible.

This job does not need another personality. It needs judgment. And right now, that is exactly what is in question.

Feature Image: Markwayne Mullin/Gage Skidmore/Flickr/License CC BY-SA 2.0/edited in Canva Pro