The Daily Mail is usually fun to read, but it wasn’t the case this week. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) had his confirmation hearing this week to replace Kristi Noem as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Noem was fired by Trump earlier this month.
Yet, the piece would suggest that Mullin ‘broke down’ over the grilling he received at the hearing, which one could argue ironically came from his side of the aisle, with Rand Paul making a fool of himself, but it was because he recounted how Trump visited his family, specifically his son, who suffered a traumatic brain injury. Yes, that’s included in the piece, but many noted that the publication made it seem as if the Oklahoma Republican collapsed under questioning.
Trump's Noem replacement breaks down in TEARS as he faces brutal senate grilling https://t.co/iN7FvsCB9H
— Daily Mail (@DailyMail) March 18, 2026
NEW: Senator Markwayne Mullin tears up as he tells a story about how President Trump went to work for him when he found out his son had a traumatic brain injury.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 18, 2026
Mullin explained how his son became a completely different kid after the injury.
“Here you had a world-class athlete… pic.twitter.com/lQhS3vM3KK
Donald Trump’s pick to replace Kristi Noem as Homeland Security chief broke down in tears after he was grilled by senators in Washington on Wednesday.
Markwayne Mullin appeared before lawmakers where Republicans and Democrats bashed him over his prior comments regarding Trump's immigration policy as he prepares to lead Homeland Security.
In a shocking moment, Mullin teared up while speaking about his son’s traumatic brain injury. The Oklahoma Senator noted that Trump would frequently call his family to inquire about his son. At one point, Trump personally spoke with his child at Mar-a-Lago.
And his nomination is going to the Senate floor for a full vote. Sure, Mullin faced some contentious bouts with some senators, but it was nowhere near the levels of silliness that Pam Bondi experienced.
To recap, Mullin cried over Trump visiting his son post-injury during the 2020 campaign. It wasn't because he couldn't handle the questioning, Daily Mail. That would be fake news.