Stand up for the facts!

Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.

More Info

Live: Fact-checking Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s DHS secretary confirmation hearing

Congress Homeland Security National

Markwayne Mullin confirmation hearing 3-18-26 — Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., President Donald Trump's pick for Homeland Security secretary, testifies during Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing March 18, 2026 on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP)

By Amy Sherman
March 18, 2026

By Maria Ramirez Uribe
March 18, 2026

By Zoe Weyand
March 18, 2026

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., will appear before a Senate committee March 18 for his confirmation hearing for secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

President Donald Trump announced March 5 that he’s nominating Mullin to replace Kristi Noem as the head of DHS and Noem will head a western hemisphere security initiative as Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas.

PolitiFact will be fact-checking Mullin’s confirmation hearing live starting at 9:30 a.m. EDT. Follow along with our live fact-checking here on our website and across our social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok and X .

READ MORE: What did Sen. Markwayne Mullin, Trump’s DHS secretary pick, say about the ‘smell’ of war?

Our Sources

See links in live blog.

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by Amy Sherman

Donald Trump
stated on October 2, 2026 in a rally in Alabama:

James Talarico is “a vegan” and “what they don’t show you is that, after every barbecue … he throws up.”

By Amy Sherman, Caleb McCullough • October 13, 2026

Donald Trump
stated on October 4, 2026 in a Truth Social post:

Brazil’s quick election results are proof that places like Detroit, Philadelphia and California “take weeks to rig” their elections.

By Amy Sherman • October 5, 2026

Donald Trump
stated on October 1, 2026 in a Truth Social post:

“I stated, numerous times, that it would take 4-6 weeks to get rid of THE IRAN NUCLEAR THREAT, and I did it in one night!”

By Amy Sherman, Maria Briceño • October 2, 2026

WinSenate
stated on September 24, 2026 in an ad:

Sen. Susan Collins “voted to cover up the Epstein files” and Jeffrey Epstein’s “business partner funneled $3 million” to a Collins super PAC.

By Amy Sherman • September 28, 2026

WinSenate
stated on in an ad:

“Troy Jackson expanded Medicaid health coverage in Maine. Susan Collins was the deciding vote for Trump’s Medicaid cuts.”

By Amy Sherman • September 14, 2026

Troy Jackson
stated on August 28, 2026 in an X post:

When Sen. Susan Collins “had the chance to actually vote to stop Trump’s tariffs from driving up costs for Maine families and businesses, she voted NO.”

By Amy Sherman • September 2, 2026

JD Vance
stated on August 24, 2026 in a speech in Brewer, Maine:

Drug overdoses decreased in Maine because the Trump administration “sealed the border.”

By Amy Sherman • August 26, 2026

Randy Fine
stated on August 16, 2026 in a fundraising email:

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is “requiring ID” to shop at city-run grocery stores.

By Amy Sherman • August 18, 2026

Donald Trump
stated on August 10, 2026 in remarks in the Oval Office:

When the measles, mumps and rubella vaccines are given together in the combined MMR vaccine, “there could be a possibility they’re quite lethal.”

By Amy Sherman, Madison Czopek • August 11, 2026

X posts
stated on August 8, 2026 in X posts:

Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed “openly calls for Sharia law in America.”

By Amy Sherman • August 10, 2026

Seth Moulton
stated on August 5, 2026 in an Instagram post:

“DOJ Epstein files reveal Senator Ed Markey was part of Epstein lobbying effort.”

By Amy Sherman, Caleb McCullough • August 6, 2026

Donald Trump
stated on August 3, 2026 in remarks in the Oval Office:

“There was vandalism” at the Reflecting Pool.

By Amy Sherman, Louis Jacobson • August 4, 2026

Senate Leadership Fund
stated on July 25, 2026 in an ad:

Maine Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Troy Jackson hit a female colleague.

By Amy Sherman • July 28, 2026

Donald Trump
stated on July 22, 2026 in a speech in Georgia:

“They caught thousands of votes in New Jersey where illegal aliens were allowed to vote. Thousands and thousands.”

By Amy Sherman, Louis Jacobson • July 24, 2026

Graham Platner
stated on June 17, 2026 in an ad:

Sen. Susan Collins “sided with Trump, giving billionaires and corporations a hand out, paid for by cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.”

By Amy Sherman • June 25, 2026

Live: Fact-checking Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s DHS secretary confirmation hearing

Clear

Social Media
stated on October 12, 2026 in an image:

If an election worker writes anything on your ballot before you put it in the voting machine, “your ballot could be disqualified.”

False

By Paul Specht • October 16, 2026

Mike Collins
stated on October 13, 2026 in in a debate:

U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is “all for abortion up until and past birth.”

False

By Maria Briceño • October 16, 2026

Social Media
stated on October 11, 2026 in publicaciones en redes sociales:

Una grabación de audio es prueba de que James Talarico fue dado de alta de un “hospital psiquiátrico” el 10 de octubre.

Pants on Fire!

By Loreben Tuquero • October 16, 2026

Senate Leadership Fund
stated on October 1, 2026 in an ad:

New Hampshire U.S. Senate candidate Chris Pappas “lied about dating an Amazon lobbyist, then voted on bills Amazon lobbied on.”

Mostly False

By Louis Jacobson • October 15, 2026

Senate Leadership Fund
stated on September 28, 2026 in an ad:

“Sherrod Brown supports sex changes for minors. Irreversible surgery on kids. Like me,” Soren Aldaco.

Pants on Fire!

By Loreben Tuquero • October 14, 2026

Mariannette Miller-Meeks
stated on October 2, 2026 in a Facebook post:

“I don’t own a single individual stock.”

True

By Evan Watson • October 14, 2026

Donald Trump
stated on October 2, 2026 in a rally in Alabama:

James Talarico is “a vegan” and “what they don’t show you is that, after every barbecue … he throws up.”

Pants on Fire!

By Amy Sherman, Caleb McCullough • October 13, 2026

X posts
stated on October 11, 2026 in posts:

Audio recording is proof James Talarico was discharged from a “mental hospital” on Oct. 10.

Pants on Fire!

By Loreben Tuquero • October 12, 2026

Amy Acton
stated on September 21, 2026 in a campaign ad:

Vivek Ramaswamy “pushed an Alzheimer’s drug that he knew didn’t work. He made hundreds of millions of dollars scamming people.”

Mostly False

By Cami Henry-Seymore • October 12, 2026

James Talarico
stated on October 6, 2026 in an ad:

Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton voted “to protect puppy abusers.”

Mostly False

By Caleb McCullough • October 12, 2026

Sherrod Brown
stated on September 18, 2026 in an ad:

Sen. Jon Husted voted “to kick 490,000 Ohioans off their healthcare.”

Half-True

By Louis Jacobson • October 9, 2026

Angie Nixon
stated on October 4, 2026 in an Oct. 4 CBS Miami interview:

President Donald Trump has deported “over 13,000 Cubans since he has been in office, his first term and his second term.”

Mostly True

By Maria Briceño • October 9, 2026

Phil Berger
stated on October 7, 2026 in comments:

Suspending North Carolina’s gas tax

Full Flop

By Paul Specht • October 7, 2026

Zach Nunn
stated on September 8, 2026 in a social media post:

“We have cut the largest taxes in U.S. history.”

Mostly False

By Isabella Tisdale • October 7, 2026

Senate Leadership Fund
stated on September 22, 2026 in an ad:

Iowa U.S. Senate Democratic candidate Josh Turek “supports amnesty for illegals.”

Half-True

By Caleb McCullough • October 7, 2026

Markwayne Mullin
stated on October 1, 2026 in a speech at a rally in Oklahoma:

For President Donald Trump, “there’s no financial gain like the past presidents have had. It’s cost him to be in office.”

Pants on Fire!

By Louis Jacobson • October 5, 2026

Donald Trump
stated on October 4, 2026 in a Truth Social post:

Brazil’s quick election results are proof that places like Detroit, Philadelphia and California “take weeks to rig” their elections.

Pants on Fire!

By Amy Sherman • October 5, 2026

Donald Trump
stated on September 21, 2026 in an X post:

Roy Cooper was “in New York speaking at a New York Times ‘Climate Forward’ event” when Hurricane “Helene slammed into North Carolina.”

False

By Paul Specht • October 5, 2026

WinSenate
stated on September 25, 2026 in an ad:

Iowa Republican Senate candidate Rep. Ashley Hinson voted against releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Mostly False

By Loreben Tuquero • October 2, 2026

Donald Trump
stated on October 1, 2026 in a Truth Social post:

“I stated, numerous times, that it would take 4-6 weeks to get rid of THE IRAN NUCLEAR THREAT, and I did it in one night!”

False

By Amy Sherman, Maria Briceño • October 2, 2026

Load More