Administration Teamsters leader who nearly brawled with Mullin praises DHS nomination by Sophie Brams - 03/05/26 8:18 PM ET by Sophie Brams - 03/05/26 8:18 PM ET Share ✕ LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email NOW PLAYING Teamsters President Sean O’Brien offered unexpected praise on Thursday for Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s (R-Okla.) nomination to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the latest sign of reconciliation between the two men who nearly came to blows during a Senate hearing in 2023. “If anyone is willing to stand their butt up to protect America, it’s Markwayne Mullin,” O’Brien said in a statement to The Hill. Mullin, a former mixed martial arts fighter, drew national attention in November 2023 for challenging O’Brien to a physical fight during a hearing on unions. The viral exchange came after O’Brien made several posts criticizing Mullin on social media, including one in which he called the senator a “ clown & fraud .” “Sir, this is a time, this is a place. You want to run your mouth, we can be two consenting adults, we can finish it here,” Mullin said at the hearing in 2023. “OK, that’s fine. Perfect,” O’Brien shot back.  “You want to do it now?” Mullin asked. “Stand your butt up then.”  “You stand your butt up, big guy,” O’Brien replied, prompting Mullin to rise from his seat and grab for his wedding ring as if about to remove it. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) then attempted to step in and calm the situation. “Hold it. No, no, no, sit down. Sit down! You’re a United States senator, sit down,” Sanders shouted as Mullin stood. The confrontation continued for another minute until Sanders was ultimately able to restore order in the room. Mullin told reporters at the Republican National Convention the following July that O’Brien apologized to him after President Trump requested the pair meet again. “He said, ‘Out of all of the people that I should have read their bio on, I should read yours, and I didn’t,’” Mullin recalled of their meeting. “And I found it humorous, and we sat down, and we had a great two-hour conversation. Since then, him and I have talked very often,” he said. “He’s a workout fanatic. He’s a guy that pulled himself up from his own bootstraps and grew up in a blue-collar household.” Mullin’s nomination to replace Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem comes amid an ongoing shutdown of DHS over Democratic demands for reform within Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which Mullin blasted as “ political theater ” last month. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) signaled Thursday that his support in the confirmation process hinges on whether Mullin commits to changes in the agency. “I’ve been asked if I would support Sen. Mullin as Noem’s replacement. The answer is a resounding NO. The rot in DHS is deep, much deeper than any individual. It’s a question of policy not personnel. The Senate should not consider any DHS Secretary nominee until DHS and ICE are reined in,” Schumer wrote in a post on the social platform X . Add as preferred source on Google Tags Bernie Sanders Chuck Schumer Kristi Noem Markwayne Mullin Sean O’Brien Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Share ✕ LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email More Administration News See All Administration Hegseth on Noem’s ouster: ‘We all serve at the pleasure of the president’ by Sophie Brams 3 hours ago Administration  /  3 hours ago