Oklahoma senator Markwayne Mullin’s confirmation hearing to become the next Homeland Security secretary soon became a battleground of old grudges as Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky used the occasion to relitigate Mullin’s past criticisms of him.

Paul, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee, opened the hearing by raising remarks Mullin made earlier this year when he called Paul a “freaking snake” and suggested he understood why the senator had been physically assaulted by a neighbor years ago in an attack that broke several of his ribs.

Paul recounted his assault and his extensive injuries, describing his pain as “that of a thousand knives.” The senator said that Mullin “never had the courage” to look him in the eye and tell him that the attack on him was justified and challenged him to do so.

"So, today, Markwayne Mullin, I’ll give you a chance. Tell it to my face. Tell the world why you believe I deserved to be assaulted from behind, have six ribs broken, and a damaged lung. Tell me to my face why you think I deserved it." pic.twitter.com/wodEs9Hc9O— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) March 18, 2026

"So, today, Markwayne Mullin, I’ll give you a chance. Tell it to my face. Tell the world why you believe I deserved to be assaulted from behind, have six ribs broken, and a damaged lung. Tell me to my face why you think I deserved it." pic.twitter.com/wodEs9Hc9O

Before Mullin gave his own opening statement, he said he needed........

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