Markwayne Mullin, Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has left disaster management officials uneasy after his confirmation hearing. Mullin, a Republican senator from Oklahoma, expressed support for restructuring the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) but avoided committing to reversing staffing cuts implemented by his predecessor, Kristi Noem.
During the hearing, Mullin said Fema should be “restructured, not eliminated” and pledged to end Noem’s policy of personally reviewing all expenditures over $100,000, calling it “micromanaging”. However, he did not promise to halt the reduction of Fema’s workforce, which has lost 10% of its staff in the first half of 2025. A September report from the Government Accountability Office warned that Fema’s “limited workforce capacity” was compromising its ability to respond to disasters.
One longtime Fema manager, speaking anonymously, expressed concern: “Fema lost 10% of its workforce when we were already short-staffed, and a headcount doesn’t capture the damage of losing senior-level staff with years of knowledge.” The manager added that “that knowledge is gone” and cannot be easily replaced.
Mullin’s record on climate change also raised alarms. As recently as 2019, he questioned the existence of the climate crisis, despite scientific consensus. He was not asked about these statements during the hearing. Critics note that Mullin has never served on the House or Senate homeland security committees, despite Senator James Lankford praising his “great experience” in disaster management.
Michael Coen, a former Fema chief of staff, said Mullin’s statements were positive but remained cautious. “The nation’s emergency management community will await his actions after confirmation,” he said. Mullin is expected to be confirmed on Thursday.
