Markwayne Mullin

Markwayne Mullin is the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Donald Trump's (R) second presidential administration. The Senate voted 54-45 to confirm him on March 23, 2026.1 Previously, he served in the U.S. Senate from 2023 to 2026 and in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 to 2023.2

Mullin was born in 1977 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation. He graduated from Stilwell High School and attended Missouri Valley College on a wrestling scholarship. While Mullin was in college, his father became ill, and he returned home to take over the family plumbing business. He later earned an associate degree in construction technology from Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology in 2010. Mullin's career experience includes owning and founding multiple businesses as well as being a former professional mixed martial arts fighter.345

In 2012, Mullin was elected to represent Oklahoma's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House, defeating Rob Wallace (D) 57.3% to 38.3%.6 In a 2012 campaign press release, Mullin said, "I’ve had to deal with unnecessary regulations for years in my work and I can’t stand the thought of more regulations being heaped on small business owners that will make it that much harder to do business. ... When I’m in Washington, I’m going to do all I can to mitigate their negative impact on the economic climate so businesses all over can operate cheaper and more efficiently."7 Mullin was re-elected four times and represented the 2nd District from 2013 to 2023.8