Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Markwayne Mullin

Public opinion and media debates around Markwayne Mullin—discover key moments of controversy.

Markwayne Mullin is an American politician and businessman. A Republican, he currently serves as the United States secretary of homeland security since 2026. Prior to this position, he was the junior United States senator from Oklahoma from 2023 to 2026. Before serving in the Senate, Mullin represented Oklahoma's second congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 to 2023.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

March 2012: Complaint Filed Against Mullin's Campaign

In March 2012, a complaint was filed with the Federal Election Commission alleging that Mullin's campaign had accepted excessive and corporate contributions and improperly combined business and campaign advertising.

September 2012: Mullin Plumbing Received Federal Stimulus Funds

In September 2012, it was reported that Mullin Plumbing had received approximately $370,000 in federal stimulus funds through the Cherokee and Muscogee Nations.

December 2013: Ethics Investigation Recommended

In December 2013, the Office of Congressional Ethics recommended a full investigation to the House Committee on Ethics over allegations that Mullin received outside earned income and had endorsed products and services owned by him or his family.

March 2014: Report Alleging Ethics Violations

In March 2014, the House Committee on Ethics released a report alleging that Mullin violated House ethics rules and federal laws by earning over $600,000 from his plumbing companies and by sitting on his plumbing company's board.

May 2016: Mullin criticizes Department of Education's policy on transgender students

In May 2016, Mullin criticized the Department of Education and the Department of Justice's Dear Colleague letter on transgender students, arguing that transgender girls should not use girls' restrooms in public schools.

January 2017: Stock Purchase in Innate Immunotherapeutics

Around January 2017, Mullin bought stock in Innate Immunotherapeutics, a company involved in an insider trading scandal with New York representative Chris Collins.

April 2017: Comments on Taxpayers Paying Salary

In April 2017, Mullin said at a town hall in Jay, Oklahoma, that it was "bullcrap" that taxpayers pay his salary.

2017: Verbal Attack by Rand Paul

In 2017, Kentucky senator Rand Paul verbally attacked Mullin for saying he understood why Paul's neighbor had assaulted him in 2017, suggesting that Mullin had "anger issues".

2018: Ethics Committee Requests Return of Funds

In 2018, the Ethics Committee called for Mullin to return $40,000 to his family business, Mullin West.

2020: Doubts about the Election

In 2020, Mullin echoed Trump's doubts about the ballot counting process in the presidential election and affirmed Trump's efforts to contest the results. He also said he would engage in efforts to overturn the election. Following the January 6 Capitol attack, Mullin witnessed the killing of Ashli Babbitt and stated that the media, Republicans, and Democrats were equally responsible for the attack, refusing to blame Trump.

January 2021: Mullin introduces a bill to prevent transgender women from participating in women's sports

In January 2021, Mullin and Hawaii representative Tulsi Gabbard introduced a bill to prevent transgender women from participating in women's sports.

August 2021: Attempted Trip to Kabul

In August 2021, The Washington Post reported that Mullin traveled to Greece and requested authorization from the United States Department of Defense to enter Kabul as the Taliban mounted an offensive on Afghanistan, but the request was rejected. As U.S. forces completed their withdrawal, Mullin sought assistance to move cash into Tajikistan to rescue an Afghan woman and her four children by helicopter, leading to a dispute with U.S. embassy officials.

2021: Rescue Effort in Afghanistan

In 2021, Mullin wrote in a fundraising letter that the Biden administration "tried to kill" him in his effort to rescue Afghans.

August 2022: Mullin supports a federal ban on abortion

In August 2022, Mullin stated during a televised debate that he supported a federal ban on abortion without exceptions.

August 2022: Criticism Over PPP Loans Forgiveness

In August 2022, the White House criticized Markwayne Mullin for having $1.4 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans forgiven.

March 2023: Sparring with Teamsters President

In March 2023, Mullin publicly sparred with Teamsters president Sean O'Brien in a Senate hearing, telling him to shut his mouth. In a second hearing in November, Mullin threatened to fight O'Brien, nearly leading to a brawl.

2023: Failure to Disclose Stock Purchases

In 2023, the Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint alleging that Mullin had not disclosed nine stock purchases in 2023. Mullin reported the purchases nearly a year later.

2024: Complaint Filed With Senate Ethics Committee

In 2024, the Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics alleging that Mullin had not disclosed nine stock purchases in 2023.

November 2025: Mullin comments on Afghan refugees after West Virginia National Guardsmen shooting

In November 2025, after the shooting of two West Virginia National Guardsmen, Mullin said that Afghan refugees had been "dumped" into the U.S. on Special Immigrant Visas without sufficient federal programs to assist them.

December 2025: Investment in Multiple Companies

In December 2025, Mullin invested in over 30 companies in a transaction worth as much as $2.8 million. The purchases included shares in Chevron, whose stock price abruptly rose after the U.S. intervened to capture Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro five days later.

March 2026: Involvement in Private Security Work Allegations

In March 2026, it was reported that Markwayne Mullin had privately suggested to colleagues that he was involved in private security work for the U.S. government in the Middle East.