Mullin’s Bid to Lead DHS in Spotlight
GOP Sen. Markwayne Mullin can expect to field questions about his limited management experience and potential conflicts of interest as he prepares for this week’s confirmation hearing to be Secretary of Homeland Security.
Angélica Franganillo Diaz examined the Oklahoman’s record following his nomination to run an agency with more than 260,000 employees overseeing missions as varied as border operations, counterterrorism, and disaster response.
She reports that as the administration expands the use of advanced data tools in immigration enforcement and other missions, Mullin’s financial disclosures show investments in several technology companies tied to AI and cybersecurity, including Nvidia , Alphabet , and CyberArk Software.
The former construction company owner and mixed martial arts fighter has never run an agency, held a homeland security role, or led on any relevant legislation.
“Being a senator is very different from running a department like DHS,” said Stewart Verdery, a senior DHS policy official during the George W. Bush administration. “He’ll bring the right attitude, but he’ll need to surround himself with good people.” Read More
Shifting Branches
If confirmed, Mullin will join others in President Donald Trump’s cabinet who share his Capitol Hill background, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio (Senate), Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy (House), VA Secretary Doug Collins (House), Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer (House), SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler (Senate), Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard (House), EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin (House), and UN Ambassador Michael Waltz (House).
Chavez-DeRemer’s Challenges
One of those congressional alumni stands out for her on-the-job challenges, as Parker Purifoy reports.
Of the six top staffers brought to the Labor Department from the secretary’s congressional office, just two remain after resignations or transfers, and there’s an ongoing investigation into claims of travel fraud and other misconduct by Chavez-DeRemer.
The inspector general’s probe involves accusations that Chavez-DeRemer had an inappropriate relationship with a security guard on her detail, took staff members to a strip club, and drank in the office. The security guard was also placed on administrative leave.
The secretary spent a lot of her first year traveling to all 50 states to meet with industry leaders and workers and promote apprenticeships. “If you’ve been isolated and on the road like she has it’s like catching a moving train now,” said Nicholas Beadle, a former DOL official who spent more than a decade at the agency in various roles. Read More
Unclear Iran Picture
It’s not clear who, if anyone, is conveying messages between the US and Iran, Jen Judson and Sherif Tarek report.
Trump said, “Iran wants to make a deal, and I don’t want to make it because the terms aren’t good enough yet.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the Islamic Republic hasn’t asked for talks or a ceasefire. Iran will continue to defend itself until Trump accepts that he’s waging an “illegal war” with no chance of victory, Araghchi said in an interview aired Sunday on CBS’s Face the Nation.
The Pentagon estimates the war, now in its third week, would take between four and six weeks, said Kevin Hassett, head of the White House’s National Economic Council. Read More
See Also: Trump Leaves Allies and Foes Guessing on Endgame for Iran
Trade Talks
Trump is threatening to delay his summit with Xi Jinping if Beijing doesn’t help secure the Strait of Hormuz as Iran’s threatened retaliation against ships stifles global energy supplies.
Trump stressed China’s dependence on oil from the Middle East in an interview with the Financial Times, as he reiterated a demand for Beijing to help unblock the key waterway.
- “It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there,” Trump said.
While China hasn’t made any direct response to the request, the state-run Global Times dismissed the idea as Trump’s attempt to spread the risk “of a war that Washington started and can’t finish.” Read More
Also Read: The Politics of Tariffs Are Shifting Again, Thanks to Trump
Fed Standoff
After a federal judge rejected subpoenas issued to the Federal Reserve, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said there’ll be an appeal — and Sen. Thom Tillis reminded all involved that an appeal would slow down the confirmation of Jerome Powell’s successor as Fed chairman, something Trump very much wants.
“This ruling confirms just how weak and frivolous the criminal investigation of Chairman Powell is and it is nothing more than a failed attack on Fed independence,” Tillis (R-N.C.) said on social media. “Appealing the ruling will only delay the confirmation of Kevin Warsh as the next Fed Chair.”
Both the ruling and Tillis’s response happened late Friday. This week, we wait to see whether the next foot really falls. Read More
Before You Go
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Trump ‘Thrilled’ With FCC’s Carr Warning Networks on Coverage
President
US Airline Executives Ask Congress to End Shutdown, Pay Workers
The top executives of 10 US airlines and aviation companies asked Congress to end the government shutdown that is affecting passengers.
Trump’s CFPB Must Continue Requesting Fed Funds, Court Rules
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau must continue to seek funding from the Federal Reserve after a federal judge determined the Trump administration was engaged in a “transparent attempt” to shut the agency down.
Kemp Ramps Up Georgia Senate Race Involvement Ahead of Primary
Georgia Gov.
Watchdog Calls for Probe of Online Influencer’s Lobbying
Conservative social media influencer and activist Scott Presler may need to register as a lobbyist for his activity pushing Republican voting legislation championed by President Donald Trump, watchdog Public Citizen said in a complaint.
Veterans Affairs Union Pact Restored by Judge’s Temporary Order
The Department of Veterans Affairs must honor its collective bargaining agreement with the American Federation of Government Employees while the parties litigate the legality of its cancellation, a Rhode Island district judge ruled.
Ex-Top Lawyer Jabs at EEOC’s ‘Vitriolic’ Transgender Bias Shift
The Republican-controlled EEOC’s decision excluding transgender federal workers from bathrooms matching their gender identity marks the Trump administration’s latest attempt to limit the bounds of a key US Supreme Court’s ruling on LGBTQ+ workplace discrimination, the agency’s former general counsel said Friday.
MAGA Inc.’s $300 Million War Chest Waits for Go-Ahead From Trump
President
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