Image: Markwayne Mullin Facebook page.
Image: Markwayne Mullin Facebook page.
Democrats and others will closely watch Mullin’s handling of the department’s immigration enforcement tactics following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.
Republished with permission from OpenSecrets, by Emma Sullivan
Shortly after firing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem amid mounting criticism over her leadership, President Donald Trump announced on March 5 that he would nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) to replace her atop the Cabinet department.
Under Noem, DHS took on a high-profile role directing Trump’s immigration and deportation policies. Both Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) fall under Homeland Security, and those agencies have been criticized for their treatment of detainees and their roles in the shooting deaths of two citizens in Minneapolis.
Trump said Mullin would take over the role on March 31, though he must first be confirmed by the Senate. Under federal law, Mullin could serve as acting secretary while his nomination is pending.
Who Is He?
Mullin has served in Congress since 2013, first representing Oklahoma in the House of Representatives for five terms before winning a 2022 special election to the Senate to replace longtime Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe, who resigned due to health issues. A member of the Cherokee Nation, Mullin has emerged as a close Trump ally and has defended ICE agents while backing the administration’s hardline approach to border security.
On his campaign website, Mullins said the U.S. should enforce immigration laws, reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy and finish building a wall along the southern border.
Before entering Congress, Mullin ran his family’s plumbing company in Oklahoma, operated several businesses and hosted a home improvement radio show. A former collegiate wrestler, he also competed as a mixed martial arts fighter.
Follow the Money
- Mullin raised $14.1 million from 2011 to 2024, according to OpenSecrets data. He raised nearly $7.8 million across five House races, $5.4 million during the 2022 Senate special election.
- He raised $3 million in 2025, but used $400,000 of that to pay himself back for a $1 million loan he made to his campaign in 2022.
- From 2011 to 2024, the oil and gas industry was Mullin’s largest donor, giving $1.3 million in total, with Oklahoma-based independent energy company Devon Energy ranking as his top contributor. Employees and the company’s PAC donated a combined $104,950.
- In his most recent election in 2022, his largest contributor was AIPAC, whose members collectively donated $89,000 to his campaign.
- Small individual donations accounted for just 5.5 percent of Mullin’s fundraising during the 2022 election cycle. Large individual contributions made up 46.7 percent of his funding, while political action committees accounted for 24.6 percent and Mullin provided 18.4 percent of his campaign funds through self-financing.
- Boots PAC, Mullin’s leadership PAC, has directed 100 percent of its political contributions to Republican candidates. In the 2024 cycle, the PAC raised $1.29 million and distributed $193,000 to Republican candidates for House and Senate seats.
- Before entering Congress, Mullin owned plumbing businesses that grew to employ more than 300 workers. Financial disclosures show he reported a private-sector salary of about $92,000 in 2012 and between $200,000 and $2 million in income from his family companies, according to Business Insider. The Tulsa World later reported that Mullin’s wealth rose to at least $31 million after the sale of his plumbing business to HomeTown Services.
Why Does It Matter?
As secretary of homeland security, Mullin will be tasked with overseeing federal immigration policy as well as domestic terrorism. While he has been a steadfast support of Trump’s policies, he has not served on directly relevant committees in the Senate. He sits on the Armed Services Committee, but not the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. He serves on six Appropriations subcommittees, but not the one handling the Department of Homeland Security’s spending.
Similarly, the bills he has introduced this Congress have focused on other issues, such as tribal and energy matters.
Democrats and others will closely watch Mullin’s handling of the department’s immigration enforcement tactics following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis—Renée Good and Alex Pretti—during federal immigration operations early this year. He called Pretti, an ICU nurse, a “deranged individual,” and after the killing of Good he co-sponsored legislation that would increase penalties against people who resist or assault law enforcement officers with vehicles. Mullin has also expressed skepticism about birthright citizenship, a constitutional right that Trump has tried to end.
This article is part of a series examining the role political money has played in the careers of President Donald Trump’s nominees for executive branch positions.
OpenSecrets is the nation's premier research group tracking money in U.S. politics and its effect on elections and public policy. Our mission is to track the flow of money in American politics and provide the data and analysis to strengthen democracy. Our vision is for Americans to use this knowledge to create a more vibrant, representative and accountable democracy.
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