Sen. Markwayne Mullin addressed accusations made by Sen. Rand Paul during a tense exchange, defending his conduct and reiterating his approach to communication and leadership.

Mullin responded directly to claims that he had been dishonest, saying, “Calling me a liar, sir.”

He continued, “I think there’s everybody in this room knows that I’m very blunt and direct to the point, and if I have something to say, I’ll say it directly to your face.”

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He referenced prior interactions between the two, noting that disagreements were not new.

“If you recall back in your back in my house days we actually did have this conversation because remarks that I made,” Mullin said.

He added that Paul had been present during those discussions and that he had addressed concerns at the time.

Mullin pointed to a specific comment that had drawn criticism, explaining his intent.

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“I simply address that I said I could understand because of the behavior you were having, that I can understand why your neighbor, by the neighbor, did what he did,” he said.

He also addressed characterizations of his remarks, stating, “As far as my terms, the snake in the grass, sir, I work around this room to try to fix problems.” Mullin said he has worked with a number of colleagues, adding, “I’ve worked with many people in this room.”

He then directed criticism at Paul’s interactions with fellow Republicans.

“Seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us,” Mullin said.

Addressing allegations that his remarks encouraged violence, Mullin rejected that claim.

“And as far as me saying that, I invoke violence, I don’t I don’t think anybody should be hit by surprise,” he said.

He added, “I don’t like that.”

Mullin reiterated his communication style, stating, “But if I do have something to say, everybody in this room knows I’ll come straight to you.”

He continued, “I’ll say it publicly, and I’ll say it privately, but I’ll never say it behind your back.”

He again disputed the accusation against him, saying, “So for you to say I’m a liar, sir, that’s not accurate, and I got proof to say that.”

Mullin also referenced political tensions between the two, pointing to campaign spending.

“Because you have spent millions of dollars in my campaigns against me, because we just don’t get along,” he said.

Despite those disagreements, Mullin emphasized that his responsibilities extend beyond personal or political disputes.

“However, sir, that doesn’t keep me at all from doing my job,” he said.

He described his role as encompassing the security of all Americans.

“I can have different opinions with everybody in this room, but as secretary of homeland, I’ll be protecting everybody, including Kentucky, as much as I will my own backyard in Oklahoma,” Mullin said.

He added that his work goes beyond partisan divisions.

“It’s bigger than the partisan bickering that we have,” he said.

He continued, “It’s bigger than the political political differences we have.”

Mullin closed by emphasizing his commitment to his responsibilities and offering a path forward.

“The truth is, I have a job to do, and I don’t like to fail at anything at all, so I can set it aside,” he said.

He added, “If you’re willing to set it aside, let me earn your respect.”

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