Rand Paul Makes It Personal As Awkward Feud With Markwayne Mullin Overtakes Hearing

Less than two weeks after Donald Trump kicked Kristi Noem to the curb on March 5, her DHS replacement, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, is going through his confirmation hearing. Despite his clear support from Trump, however, Mullin got more than just an endorsement at his March 18 confirmation hearing. Sen. Rand Paul, who is serving as the Senate Homeland Security Chair, lit into Mullin during the hearing, making it clear that their personal feud isn't likely to end anytime soon.

RAND PAUL: You offered no apology. And you offer no apology today, and no regrets

MARKWAYNE MULLIN: I'm not apologizing for pointing out your character

PAUL: You want people to know you supported a felonious, violent attack on me from behind

MULLIN: I did not say I supported... pic.twitter.com/K02i3PWIpZ

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 18, 2026

It was the clash of the Republicans on Capitol Hill as the Secretary of Homeland Security hopeful went head-to-head with the chairman. Mullin has made his feelings about Paul known in the past, and Paul didn't let it slide when the spotlight was on him. Mullin has criticized his fellow Republican senator for occasionally voting against his party, once calling him a "freaking snake," per The Hill. 

In 2017, Paul was physically assaulted by his neighbor. He emerged from the attack with broken ribs and breathing problems. Mullin sympathized with the neighbor, which Paul made sure to bring up at Mullin's hearing, saying he was "shocked" by that sentiment, per X. "You told the media ... that you completely understood why I had been assaulted," he recalled. Paul added, "I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force." And, the fireworks definitely didn't end there.

After Rand Paul kicked off Markwayne Mullin's confirmation hearing by bringing up Mullin's past attacks, Mullin kicked off his own statement, biting back at Paul. "If I have something to say, I'll say it directly to your face," he said. He added, "I said I can understand why your neighbor did what he did" (via X). Based on how it started, it wasn't particularly surprising when the hearing basically devolved into bickering between the senators. Paul noted that Mullin's refusal to apologize for condoning violence against him persists. "I'm not apologizing for pointing out your character," Mullin stressed, prompting Paul to say, "You want the American public... to know that you supported the felonious, violent attack on me from behind," per X. "I did not say I supported it. I said I understood it," Mullin clarified.

Per X, Paul also referenced his nemesis' past comment that "some people just need to be punched in the face" as another example of Mullin's appreciation for political violence. Mullin stressed, "I don't always agree with that," heavily implying that he agrees with it sometimes. In Paul's eyes, Mullin's past comments indicate that he is too violent to work at the DHS. And, Mullin made it clear that he won't apologize for or back down from any of his past opinions. So, after this display, these two clearly won't be heading out for happy hour after work together any time soon.