Paul reminded the hearing that afterwards, Mullin had called him a “freakin’ snake” and said he understood why he had been assaulted. “Today I will give you that chance to clear the record,” Paul said to Mullin. Rand Paul appears on a television as he questions Markwayne Mullin on Wednesday during the latter's confirmation hearing to be the next secretary of the US department of homeland security. That’s how you settle your differences, sir.”Democrat Senator John Fetterman during Wednesday's confirmation hearing for Markwayne Mullin. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesRand, a vociferous Trump critic, voted against the confirmation of Mullin in the committee’s vote on Thursday.

Source: The Irish Times March 20, 2026 11:24 UTC