Kimmel Mocks DHS Secretary Mullin; Trump and Conservatives Push Back
On March 25, Jimmy Kimmel mocked newly confirmed DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin's plumbing and fighting past, prompting defenses from Donald Trump and conservative commentators and replay of a 2012 commercial.
DeadlineTrump Rants On Fox Against Jimmy Kimmel's Derision Of "Country Smart" Markwayne Mullin: "He's Got No Talent"
MEDIAiteFox News Host Plays Clip of Markwayne Mullin Plumbing Commercial — Amid Right-Wing Outrage Over Kimmel Mocking New DHS Chief’s Old Job
The Post MillennialJimmy Kimmel under fire for mocking DHS Sec Markwayne Mullin over blue-collar work
Breitbart NewsNolte: Elitist Snob Jimmy Kimmel Mocks Markwayne Mullin for Working as ‘Plumber’
Overview
On March 25, Jimmy Kimmel mocked newly confirmed DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin's past as a plumber and a low-level MMA fighter in a late-night monologue.
Mullin replaced Kristi Noem as head of the Department of Homeland Security and is a former senator and business owner whose 2012 plumbing commercial was replayed by conservative hosts.
Donald Trump criticized Kimmel on a television panel, calling him "a loser" and saying "he's got no talent."
Lawmakers, conservative commentators and columnists called the remarks elitist and accused Kimmel of disparaging blue-collar workers, while defenders highlighted Mullin's business success and family hardship.
Conservative media aired Mullin's 2012 commercial and the exchange has driven social-media and opinion coverage, without any reported official sanctions or network actions.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as a spectacle of ridicule, using evaluative lead-ins and selective emphasis. Editorial choices—loaded descriptors like "factually challenging" and pejorative framing of Trump/Kimmel exchanges—shape the narrative, while source content appears as quoted insults (for example, "he's got no talent"), presented without counterbalancing context.
FAQ
Markwayne Mullin is a rancher, business owner, and former mixed martial arts fighter who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 to 2023 before being elected to the Senate in 2023.[1][2] He is a member of the Cherokee Nation and the first Native American senator in two decades.[2]
Trump was dissatisfied with Noem, who had become the public face of his nationwide immigration enforcement efforts.[3] She faced criticism in Congress from both Democrats and Republicans regarding her management of the administration's immigration policies, and Trump announced she would take on a new role as special envoy for the Shield of the Americas initiative.[3]
Mullin aims to keep Americans safe regardless of political affiliation and has signaled openness to requiring judicial warrants for immigration enforcement operations.[1][4] At his confirmation hearing, he stated his goal is for DHS to reduce its media spotlight and focus on protecting citizens, saying 'My goal in 6 months is that we're not in the lead story every single day.'[4]
Mullin is a staunch Trump ally who campaigned for him in 2024 as a surrogate and backed Trump's claims about the 2020 election.[2][3] Senate Majority Leader John Thune described Mullin as a 'whisperer for Trump' who helps clarify legislative stances and sway the president's decisions.[3]
No, Mullin had not served on either the House Homeland Security Committee or the Senate Homeland Security Committee prior to his DHS appointment.[2] His Senate committee assignments include the Armed Services Committee, Appropriations Committee, Indian Affairs Committee, and the HELP Committee.[2]
