WASHINGTON ― The wheels were coming off the wagon the moment Markwayne Mullin’s confirmation hearing began Wednesday morning, as Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) tore into the homeland security secretary nominee over long-standing personal beef between the two.

Paul, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee, devoted most of his time to attacking Mullin for past remarks he made about Paul being physically assaulted by his neighbor in 2017, an incident that left Paul with broken ribs and long-term health issues. President Donald Trump recently tapped Mullin, a Republican senator from Oklahoma, to replace Kristi Noem to lead the Department of Homeland Security.

“You told the media that I was a freakin’ snake and that you completely understood why I had been assaulted,” Paul told Mullin. “I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force.”

The Kentucky Republican also accused Mullin of lying about telling Paul directly that he thought he deserved to be assaulted.

“Tell me to my face why you think I deserved it,” Paul fumed. “And while you’re at it, explain to the American public why they should trust a man with anger issues to set the proper example for ICE and Border Patrol agents.”

He unloaded all of this within the first 10 minutes of the hearing, before any senators’ questioning had even begun. When Mullin got his turn to talk, he disputed Paul’s claim that he was “a liar” and said he doesn’t condone violence. But doing himself no favors, Mullin repeatedly said he could “understand” why Paul’s neighbor violently attacked him.

He also criticized Paul, who controls when ― or if ― the committee holds a vote on advancing Mullin’s nomination.

“Seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us,” Mullin told Paul, later adding, “You have spent millions of dollars in my campaigns against me. Because we just don’t get along.”

The hearing tumbled forward for a little bit, until Paul went after Mullin again for never apologizing for saying he deserved being physically attacked.

“The record should show, and I think will show, a lack of contrition, no apology and no regrets for your support,” said the Kentucky senator. “What you’re upset about is that I called you a liar because … it’s really more about this machismo that you have.”

He played a video clip for the committee of Mullin nearly starting a fist fight with Sean O’Brien, the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, during a 2023 Senate hearing. Days after that incident, Mullin said in an interview that “sometimes people just need to be punched in the face.”

“Is that still your opinion?” asked Paul. “That political disputes can sometimes and often only be resolved by violence?”

As they talked over each other, Mullin took another swipe at the chairman: “Sir, I get it. It’s about character assassination for you. That’s the way this game is played. … And you are making this about you.”

“Character assassination, when you’re the one lobbing the insult?” snapped Paul. “Who do you think started that character assassination? I’m just repeating what you have done in character assassination!”

Before long, Paul was asking Mullin if he supports duels for resolving disputes.

Citing past comments by the Oklahoma Republican suggesting caning and dueling as justified violence, Paul brought up the 1856 caning of Sen. Charles Sumner and asked Mullin if he believes that was justified. Sumner, an abolitionist Republican from Massachusetts, was nearly caned to death on the Senate floor by Rep. Preston Brooks, a pro-slavery Democrat from South Carolina.

“What I was simply pointing out is some of the rules that still apply to this body. For instance, dueling with two consenting adults is still there,” Mullin began.

“It’s been illegal for 170 years,” Paul interjected. “There is no precedent for legal dueling.”

For all their clashing, as the hearing wrapped up hours later, the Kentucky senator said to expect the committee to vote to advance Mullin’s nomination on Thursday. There is a caveat, though: Mullin first has to meet with senators in a secured room to explain a 2016 trip he took that he said is classified, something that raised questions with committee members.

And Paul later told reporters he’ll be voting “no” on Mullin’s nomination.

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