By Charlie McCarthy
Friday, March 20, 2026
Sen. James Lankford announced on Friday that Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma will be confirmed as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security next week, expressing confidence in his colleague’s ability to address critical national security challenges during an ongoing agency crisis.
Lankford stated that the Department of Homeland Security faces severe operational disruptions from a partial funding shutdown, including extended airport lines, staffing shortages and warnings of potential airport closures. “Secretary Mullin will be in his spot by this time next week,” Lankford told Newsmax’s “Wake Up America.” “He will do a very good job. He’s a workaholic and very focused on what it takes to actually fix the problem.”
The senator criticized Democrats for what he called a “Democrat shutdown” strategy designed to weaken immigration enforcement, asserting that their priorities focus more on undermining Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) than confronting threats from nations like Iran. “Their long-term goal is to defund ICE and Border Patrol so those agents don’t get paid,” Lankford said. “They quit, and we end up with open borders.”
Lankford noted Republicans have been working to restore funding for Transportation Security Administration agents, Coast Guard personnel, Federal Emergency Management Agency staff and cybersecurity professionals affected by the impasse. He accused Democrats of using TSA workers to mobilize their activist base while harming national security: “This is pure politics from the Democrats. They’re using TSA agents and others to get their activist base riled up, when what they’re really doing is hurting the nation’s security.”
The funding dispute occurs amid heightened national security concerns in the Middle East. While U.S. military deployments are increasing in the region, President Donald Trump has maintained strategic ambiguity about potential troop movements. Lankford defended this approach, stating: “There’s an enormous difference between large-scale ground wars and targeted operations.” He emphasized that announcing strategies to adversaries like Iran could compromise deterrence.
Lankford also reported ongoing negotiations with Democrats to resolve the impasse but expressed frustration over delayed responses to administration proposals. “He’s working to defend the entire country,” he said of Mullin, adding that Republican leadership will be essential for restoring DHS stability and strengthening border security.
