During a swearing-in ceremony at the Oval Office on Tuesday, the newly appointed Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, encountered an unexpected moment with Donald Trump. As Trump introduced Mullin, the former Oklahoma Senator, he realized for the first time that Mullin is Native American. “But as the only Native American… I didn’t know that,” Trump confessed, glancing at Mullin. He then asked, “How many have been there before you, do you know?” Mullin promptly replied, “I think three.” Trump, with a touch of humor, added, “I didn’t know all these things. I would have picked him faster. If I had known, I would have made a quicker decision.”

Mullin appeared taken aback by Trump’s lack of knowledge about his heritage, despite their numerous public appearances and time spent together at both political and sporting events. Trump commended Mullin as a “fantastic representative” and praised his advocacy for tribal communities, recognizing him as the first Cherokee Nation member to serve in the Cabinet. Mullin, who has actively championed legislation to support Native Americans, once stated, “I’m Cherokee, and I never knew I was special for being Cherokee until I came to DC, because where I’m from, everybody is Indian or wants to be,” in a 2025 press release.

The bond between Trump and Mullin strengthened following an incident in 2020 when Mullin’s son, Jim, suffered a severe injury during a high school wrestling match. Trump frequently checked in on Jim’s recovery and invited the Mullins to join him on stage at a Tulsa rally later that year. Their friendship continued with a shared visit to the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Tulsa in 2023. After being sworn in by Attorney General Pam Bondi, Mullin expressed his commitment to collaborating with states across the political spectrum to “protect everybody the same.”

‘No one’s going to outwork me,’ the DHS Secretary said. ‘The President has entrusted me with this, and failure is not an option.’ Trump also thanked the Mullin family, who were in attendance, before complimenting the Secretary’s wife, Christie Mullin. ‘I want to thank the family, because without the family, he’s not here. He’s a different person, and that goes especially for mom, who looks like she’s about 22 years old.’ Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt swore in Alan Armstrong, an energy executive, to replace Mullin as the state’s junior Senator on Tuesday. Armstrong will serve until November, when the state’s Senatorial election will take place. Congressman Kevin Hern, a Republican, is the heavy favorite in the race.