What A Day – "Meet Trump's Pick To Lead DHS"

Date: March 17, 2026
Host: Jane Coaston
Guest: Burgess Everett (Congressional Bureau Chief, Semaphore)
Episode Focus: President Trump's nomination of Senator Markwayne Mullin to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the ongoing DHS shutdown, and major Congressional battles over immigration and voting rights.

Episode Overview

This episode centers on President Donald Trump’s surprise nomination of Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to head the Department of Homeland Security, following Kristi Noem’s contentious tenure and dismissal. Host Jane Coaston breaks down Mullin’s background, his political style, and the obstacles facing his Senate confirmation and the broader DHS shutdown crisis. The episode features a substantive conversation with journalist Burgess Everett, who provides inside analysis on the Hill’s latest power struggles and legislative gridlock.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Who is Markwayne Mullin? (03:19–06:06)

• Background & Persona

  • First elected to the House in 2012; currently a Senator from Oklahoma.
  • Known within the Capitol as a “fixer” between the House, the Senate, and the President.
  • Lacks a traditional bachelor’s degree, leans into a working-class persona.
  • Famous for bouncing a rubber ball in Capitol halls—“you can literally hear him come down the halls...by listening for a rubber ball bouncing.” (Burgess Everett, 03:52)
  • “He's challenged people to fight in committee hearings. He's super jacked. He'll wear a cowboy hat on the Senate floor because it's technically not against the rules.” (Burgess Everett, 04:22)
  • Has a history of confrontational behavior, including publicly threatening to fight the Teamsters Union head in a Senate hearing.

• Political Stance

  • Strong Trump ally; supports the debunked theory that the 2020 election was stolen.
  • Vocal in labeling recent violent incidents as “domestic terrorism,” echoing language used by Kristi Noem. (See [02:07–02:29] for media clips)

2. The DHS Mess: From Noem to Mullin (05:08–07:41)

• Kristi Noem’s Downfall

  • Ousted for mishandling federal disaster relief reimbursements and her role in controversial immigration enforcement shootings.
  • Alienated both Republicans and Democrats in Congress; “She was ticking them off on Ted Budd...he put a hold on all of Kristi Noem’s nominees because she wouldn’t approve disaster aid for western North Carolina...There were these bridges that had been burnt. And Mark Wayne Mullen is not going to do that.” (Burgess Everett, 06:33)

• Why Mullin?

  • Trump wanted a “fresh start” and someone with better congressional relationships.
  • Mullin viewed as less likely to stonewall state requests, more charismatic, and better connected within the party.

3. Senate Confirmation Expectations (07:41–09:34)

• The Mullin-Rand Paul Feud

  • The hearing is expected to be tense, as Rand Paul—who disagrees with Trump and ICE enforcement—is overseeing the process.
  • “You just scooped me, Jane! ...They hate each other.” (Burgess Everett, 07:52)
  • Democrats likely to probe Mullin on immigration enforcement changes; Republicans (except Paul) expected to be supportive to fast-track confirmation.

• Committee Tactics

  • Anticipate minimal policy specifics from Mullin at the hearing.
  • Despite personal beef, a committee vote is expected right after the hearing to expedite confirmation.

4. The Prolonged DHS Shutdown (09:34–11:49)

• Deadlocking Over Immigration

  • Agency has been partly shut down for a month, with no significant negotiations underway.
  • House Democrats attempt to fund TSA, FEMA, and Coast Guard—excluding immigration enforcement—but Republicans push for all-or-nothing funding.
  • “It’s really just gone totally silent...major wild card is those TSA lines.” (Burgess Everett, 09:43)
  • Everett suggests only significant public backlash or direction from President Trump could break the impasse.

• Potential for Historic Duration

  • “There's a decent chance this ends up being the longest government shutdown of all time.” (Burgess Everett, 11:37)

5. Save America Act & Voting Rights Showdown (11:49–14:21)

• What’s in the Bill

  • Would require passports or birth certificates to register to vote; restricts universal mail-in ballots.
  • Attempts to include unrelated conservative priorities (e.g., banning transgender girls from women’s sports, child gender-affirming surgeries).

• Senate GOP Gridlock

  • Bill unlikely to pass; Republican unity falls short of necessary votes.
  • President Trump pressuring Senate GOP for passage, while online right-wing activists call for eliminating the filibuster.
  • “This is a fairly routine conflict where you don’t have the votes to pass your party’s priorities. Except President Trump has made failure not an option.” (Burgess Everett, 13:52)

6. Headlines: Iran War & Other Major Stories (18:29–24:43)

• Trump on Iran War

  • Claims U.S. actions “decimated” Iran’s military; uncertainty over ending the conflict soon.
  • “So if you believe that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon...then you have to absolutely love what I've done because in two weeks we have decimated them.” (Donald Trump, 18:53)
  • Dodges questions about specific timelines, stating, "It'll be soon, won't be long." (19:44)

• Congressional Intelligence Hearings

  • Tulsi Gabbard, Kash Patel, and John Ratcliffe to brief Congress on global threats.
  • Senate yet to schedule public hearings on the Iran war.

• Labor and Tech News

  • Colorado meatpacking workers in first industry-wide strike in decades.
  • Lawsuit alleges AI-powered image generator by Elon Musk’s xAI created and distributed child sexual abuse material.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mullin’s Capitol Reputation:
  “He bounces a rubber ball everywhere he goes...you can literally hear him come down the halls of the Capitol by listening for a rubber ball bouncing.”
  — Burgess Everett (03:52)

• On Mullin’s Nomination:
  “He's very different than Kristi Noem. A lot more charismatic and has a lot more relationships within the party, less hair also.”
  — Burgess Everett (05:05)

• Congressional Stalemate:
  “I think there's a decent chance this ends up being the longest government shutdown of all time, because it's not in the news, it's not dominating Washington.”
  — Burgess Everett (11:34)

• Trump on Iran:
  “If you believe that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon...you have to absolutely love what I've done because in two weeks we have decimated them.”
  — Donald Trump (18:53)

• On Republican Disarray:
  “The President has essentially handed John Thune an unwinnable hand for a bill that he supports but cannot pass.”
  — Burgess Everett (13:44)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:19] – Introduction to Markwayne Mullin, background and approach
• [05:08] – Why Trump dropped Kristi Noem, inside history on Mullin’s rise
• [07:41] – Senate confirmation expectations and partisan positioning
• [09:34] – DHS shutdown status and why a solution remains elusive
• [11:49] – Save America Act and the Senate’s voting rights clash
• [18:29] – Rapid-fire headlines: Iran war, intelligence hearings, labor strike, and xAI lawsuit

Tone & Style

Jane Coaston maintains a sharp, wry, and accessible approach, frequently employing dry humor (e.g., “I have never spent $200 million on an advertising campaign prominently featuring me...”). The guest, Burgess Everett, reflects an insider’s fluency with Congressional dynamics, offering frank and occasionally sardonic takes (“less hair also,” “unwinnable hand”). The language stays direct and conversational, anchored in substantive reporting.

Summary Takeaways

This episode provides crucial context and analysis on:

• The inside story of Trump’s pick, Markwayne Mullin, for DHS—and why his persona and tactics may signal a shift from Kristi Noem’s contentious approach.
• How entrenched partisan gridlock has paralyzed DHS funding—with little hope of resolution unless public or presidential pressure intensifies.
• The significance of this week’s voting rights legislation fight in the Senate as both a policy and political drama.
• The broader landscape of war, labor unrest, and tech controversy, all competing for headline space in a tumultuous news moment.

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