Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., faced harsh questioning about the partial government shutdown that has roiled air travel and President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown at his confirmation hearing to be Department of Homeland Security secretary.

The former mixed martial arts fighter vowed to take a less partisan and confrontational approach to the job than predecessor Kristi Noem, even as both parties traded barbs.

“My goal in six months is that we’re not in the lead story every single day,” Mullin said in his opening statement.

The hearing came as the monthlong partial shutdown has started to cause widespread problems for travelers and Transportation Safety Administration screeners are forced to work without receiving paychecks.

Lines at security checkpoints have stretched out the door at airports in some spring break hot spots and have topped an hour at some times at New York’s JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports.

“We have to get DHS funded,” Mullin said. “We have to set the partisan side down.”

“We’re playing with fire,” he added.

The hearing started with an ugly back-and-forth with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who called Mullin a liar and accused him of promoting violence because Mullin said he understood why a neighbor sucker-punched Paul.

“Everybody in this room knows I’m very, very blunt,” Mullin said. “If i have something to say, I’ll say it to your face.”

Paul even aired a video of Mullin expressing support for physical violence against political opponents, including 19th century duels and caning attacks.

“You think a violent attack is just fine,” Paul said. “You offer no apology and no regret.”

Mullin a second-term Oklahoma senator, has been tapped to replace controversial DHS Secretary Noem at the helm of the government’s third-largest department.

Noem was fired after a tumultuous tenure marked by perceived policy and public relations missteps, especially her handling of Trump’s mass deportation effort that led to the killings of two U.S. citizens by immigration agents in Minneapolis.

Democrats have refused to fund all of DHS without significant reforms to the immigration crackdown, including mandating that agents stop wearing masks and identify themselves, and calling for independent probes of alleged misconduct, especially the killings of Minneapolis protesters Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in January.

Mullin apologized for accusing Pretti in the days after the shooting of plotting to attack federal agents and said he wouldn’t prejudge investigations into future alleged misconduct.

He also said agents should get warrants from judges before entering private homes or businesses, unless they are actively pursuing suspects, a concession that would mark a significant shift from current policy.

Trump and his Republican allies have refused to budge and won’t accept Democrats’ offer to fund the rest of DHS, which would permit TSA agents to be paid and end the growing air travel crisis, while talks continue about ICE and Border Patrol.

Trump pointed the finger at Democrats, saying their “radical left asks” are non-starters in the stalled budget negotiations.

“These lunatics are being totally unreasonable,” Trump said on his social media site. “They are fully to blame, and must pay a big price.”

Mullin is a Trump loyalist and an immigration hardliner but has forged good relationships across the political aisle during his 13 years in Congress, which should help him win at least a few Democratic votes for his expected confirmation.

Approval of Trump’s immigration approach is down dramatically with most Americans saying Trump has “gone too far.”

The souring public mood has already forced Republicans to tone down their rhetoric and have all but stopped mentioning “mass deportation.”

GOP congressional leaders have touted Mullin’s incoming leadership as a chance to turn the page on Noem’s unpopular approach.

©2026 New York Daily News. Visit at nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.