Turning Point USA spokesman and host of the Charlie Kirk Show, Andrew Kolvet, defended U.S. Representative Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) on social media today while watching the Congressman’s Senate confirmation. Mullin has been nominated by President Trump to serve as the Secretary of Homeland Security, replacing Kristi Noem.
At the hearing, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) voiced his concern regarding what he characterized as Mullin’s “support” of violence and noted that in 2017 after Paul was physically attacked from behind by a neighbor at his home and suffered six broken ribs and had to have part of his lung removed, Mullin told members of the press that he “understood” why someone would attack Paul.
Paul then played footage of Mullin, a former MMA fighter, attempting to start a fight with Teamsters President Sean O’Brien in a Senate hearing in October and asked, “Does justifying violence set a good example for the men and women of ICE and Border Patrol?”
[ICE and Border Patrol agents — under Noem’s much-criticized leadership — have come under scrutiny from both Democrats and Republicans about training and comportment after agents shot and killed two American citizens during operations in Minneapolis earlier this year. Greg Bovino, who headed the Minneapolis immigration sweeps, was moved out of his position after the killings and is reportedly resigning from federal law enforcement.]
“Does justifying violence set a good example for the men and women of ICE?” pic.twitter.com/poMCFv2iBF
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) March 18, 2026
Mullin responded to Paul: “I said I understood why your neighbor acted.” He added, “You seem to fight Republicans more than work with us.”
Kolvet responded to the exchange: “Sen. Markwayne Mullin is the kind of guy who can exchange words with a Union Boss, only to bury the hatchet and have that very same Union Boss sitting right behind him as a character witness at his confirmation hearing. Sen. Paul needs to let whatever grudge he’s harboring go, just like MWM and Sean O’Brien did.”
Note: Mullin noted that he had buried the hatchet with O’Brien, who indeed sat behind Mullin at the hearing.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin is the kind of guy who can exchange words with a Union Boss, only to bury the hatchet and have that very same Union Boss sitting right behind him as a character witness at his confirmation hearing.
Sen. Paul needs to let whatever grudge he’s harboring go,… pic.twitter.com/Emji4LCBfK
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) March 18, 2026