Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) faced intense scrutiny from his fellow lawmakers during his Senate confirmation hearing this week over his past behavior — including an accusation from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) that he has “anger issues.” But he also had a moment with Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) last month that revealed quite a lot about him, according to one American studies professor.

On Wednesday, Paul confronted Mullin, President Donald Trump’s pick to take over the Department of Homeland Security, for previously calling him a “freaking snake” and for appearing to justify a violent 2017 attack on Paul. Paul shared details about the attack and the injuries he sustained, which he said included six broken ribs and a “damaged lung.”

Paul went on to point out another altercation involving Mullin, a former MMA fighter. He challenged a committee witness, Teamsters union boss Sean O’Brien, to a physical fight during a Senate hearing in 2023, telling CNN days later that he had no regrets about what happened.

Paul asked Mullin on Wednesday to “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.” Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) also told CNN after the Senate hearing that Mullin’s behavior toward O’Brien during the 2023 Senate hearing was “unacceptable” and that one of his biggest objections to Mullin leading DHS is his “temperament.”

But Mullin was also widely criticized for an incident with Green not too long ago that seems particularly poignant at this moment.

During Trump’s State of the Union address last month, Green had held up a sign in silent protest that read: “Black people aren’t apes!” before he was escorted out of the House chamber by the sergeant-at-arms. It was a reference to a video Trump shared on his Truth Social platform that featured a racist depiction of former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes.

Mullin was among several Republicans who were seen on camera trying to physically snatch Green’s sign away from his hands that night. When Green stood and raised his sign as the president was being welcomed to the podium, Mullin could be seen walking several feet toward Green before he reached over and tried to snatch the sign out of the Democrat’s hand. Green dodged him.

At the time, the Oklahoma senator was widely criticized  on X, with many questioning why Mullin was so “angry” over Green’s sign in the first place.

Kari J. Winter, a professor of American studies at the University at Buffalo whose expertise includes gender, feminism, race and class, said that Mullin’s behavior during the State of the Union address last month revealed a lot about him.

“The aggressive manner in which Mullin strides across the Senate chamber to attempt to wrest Al Green’s sign out of his hands is indicative of an explosive temper,” she told HuffPost.

Winter then referenced a video Mullin shared on social media the following day, in which he expressed his frustration with Democrats for their behavior and lack of “decorum” during Trump’s address. He also said he “cannot stand” Green.

“He later tries to justify his behavior by stating ‘there is a certain level of decorum expected during the State of the Union’— an almost laughable protestation in view of his inclination to brawl on the Senate floor,” she said about Mullin’s post. “Instead of condemning racism or distancing himself from Trump’s depictions of the Obamas as apes, Mullin raged: ‘I cannot stand the man called Al Green.’”

Winter had previously told HuffPost after Trump’s address that the sign-snatching incidents showed that Republicans don’t support free speech on issues they don’t agree with.

“Since 2016, the Republican mantra has been ‘free speech for me, not for thee,’” she said at the time. “In other words, they are vehemently opposed to freedom of speech.”

Tabitha Bonilla, an associate professor of political science and human development and social policy at Northwestern University, also previously weighed in on the sign-snatching moments last month and said that it’s “always inappropriate to respond with physical force to verbal messages.”

“The behavior is not new, and to me, it represents the efforts by this Republican Congress and Party leadership to win and retain power by suppression,” she said at the time.

Speaking about Wednesday’s Senate confirmation hearing, and Paul’s concerns about Mullin’s behavior, Winter told HuffPost on Thursday that “like President Trump and Kristi Noem, [Mullin] swaggers and revels in violent spectacles.”

“Time and again, he lashes out in rage,” Winter said. “The core problem we as a nation face is that he embodies the blend of machismo and obsequiousness that Trump prizes. Like Noem, he is likely to be Trump’s ‘puppet to implement lawless policies,’ in the words of Sen. Richard Blumenthal.”

“We should all sit for a minute with the ramifications of Mullin calling Paul a ‘freaking snake’ who deserved to be viciously attacked just because Paul did not vote with Trump 100% of the time,” Winter later continued. “If Mullin believes that even a fellow Republican senator deserves to be vilified and subjected to violence due to a difference of opinions, what hope can any of us have that he will respect our humanity and our legal rights?”

“If he is confirmed, who will keep our homeland safe and secure from the threats he and his president pose?” she added.

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