Markwayne Mullin, 48, a tribal citizen of the Cherokee Nation, was sworn in as the ninth secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security during a White House ceremony on Tuesday afternoon, with Donald Trump in attendance.
Mullin was administered the oath of office by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. He stood beside his wife, Christie Mullin, as he was sworn in, with their six children also present.
The U.S. Senate confirmed Mullin on Monday evening by a 54–45 vote.
Mullin becomes the second Native American to serve in a presidential Cabinet in a secretarial role—and the first citizen of the Cherokee Nation to hold a Cabinet position.
Trump highlighted Mullin’s Native heritage during the ceremony.
“I didn’t know all of these things,” Trump joked. “I would’ve picked him faster if I had known. I would’ve made a quicker decision.”
Mullin succeeds Kristi Noem, the former governor of South Dakota, whose tenure was marked by controversy. She faced widespread criticism after two American citizens were killed on the streets of Minneapolis earlier this year by federal immigration officers.
Trump reassigned Noem on March 5 following congressional testimony in which she said the president approved a $220 million advertising campaign featuring her riding a horse. Trump denied approving the campaign and moved her to a new role as Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas.
Mullin now takes over a department marred by controversy after a tumultuous year under Noem’s leadership. He assumes control at a time when the agency is largely shut down due to Congress failing to approve a budget.
“I don’t care what color your state is. I don’t care if you’re red or you’re blue,” Mullin said. “At the end of the day, my job is to be secretary of Homeland and protect everybody the same.”
