Live updates: Markwayne Mullin sworn in as DHS secretary amid talks to end partial shutdown
A path to a deal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security that the White House appears to support is emerging, four sources familiar with the negotiations said.
What to know today
- MULLIN SWEARING-IN: Sen. Markwayne Mullin was sworn in as homeland security secretary this afternoon in a ceremony at the White House with President Donald Trump. Alan Armstrong, an energy executive tapped by Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt to fill Mullin’s Senate seat, was sworn in today, too.
- DHS SHUTDOWN TALKS: A path to a deal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security that the White House appears to support is emerging, four sources familiar with negotiations between the White House and Congress said. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters yesterday that he believed negotiations were "in a good spot."
- RUBIO TESTIMONY: Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified this morning in the federal trial of a former Miami congressman accused of secretly lobbying for Venezuela’s government during the first Trump administration. Rubio's appearance was the first time in more than 40 years that a Cabinet secretary has appeared as a witness in a criminal case.
Trump is expected to name a new CDC head. ‘We don’t need a TV personality,’ one expert said.
As the Trump administration prepares to nominate a new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, insiders say they worry the nominee will only further undermine trust in the nation’s top health agency, even as outbreaks of measles escalate and the federal government’s vaccine policies face resistance.
Trump is expected to name the candidate on Truth Social by tomorrow. If confirmed by the Senate, the director will inherit an agency marked by the yearlong chaos of mass layoffs, a deadly shooting and hollowed-out leadership.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the CDC’s current acting director, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, have long been critical of the CDC, largely focusing on Covid missteps, but haven’t offered ways to support or strengthen it, CDC staffers said.
“I don’t disagree with the thought that we’ve lost a lot of trust, but I think it falls a little flat for leaders to ask us to rebuild trust,” a senior official said. “It’s a two-way street.” The person asked not to be identified for fear of retribution.
Hakeem Jeffries says he hasn't seen any details of a new DHS funding plan
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters this afternoon that he has not yet seen any details of the DHS funding proposal from Senate Republicans.
“But if there is something to evaluate, I’ll have the conversation with Leader Schumer,” Jeffries said at a press conference today, referring to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
Jeffries said House Democrats would need to discuss any proposed plan as a caucus, adding that he would also speak to Republicans about it.
“We’ll talk to our colleagues on the other side of the aisle," Jeffries said. "Details are going to be important in terms of what’s funded and what’s not funded in the absence of meaningful, bold or dramatic changes that need to be made to rein ICE in and get them under control.”
He said "ICE should be compelled to conduct itself like every other law enforcement agency in the country."
Patty Murray criticizes GOP proposal over lack of ICE reforms
Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, criticized the current proposal from Republicans to reopen the Department of Homeland Security for not including reforms to ICE and CBP.
“We’ve also made very clear that if we are talking about funding any part of ICE or CBP, we absolutely must take some key steps to rein them in. The current Republican offer in front of us does not do that,” she said. “Bottom line, reforms must make it into law.”
Trump says he would be unhappy with 'any deal' with Democrats
Asked by a reporter whether he would sign a deal that would fund DHS and ICE but not the department’s Enforcement and Removal Operations branch, Trump said he didn’t want to comment until he saw the deal but expressed disappointment with any potential deal that could reopen DHS.
“As you know, they’re negotiating a deal. I guess they’re getting fairly close. But I think any deal they make, I’m pretty much not happy with it,” he said. He blamed Democrats for the shutdown.
“They hurt our country and at a very difficult time, because, you know, we are at, as they would say, a war. They call it a war. I call it a military operation, a very successful one, like successful like nobody’s ever seen before,” Trump added.
Alan Armstrong sworn in to fill Mullin's Senate seat
Alan Armstrong, an energy executive tapped by Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt to fill Markwayne Mullin’s Senate seat, was sworn in on the Senate floor today.
He will serve until a new person is elected to fill the seat for a full six-year term in the 2026 midterm elections.
Trump says Noem had 'a good run'
Asked whether he expected Mullin to run DHS any differently from his predecessor, Trump praised Noem for what he said was “a good run.” Trump then heaped praise on border czar Tom Homan, crediting him with the crackdown along the U.S. border, and said Homan would continue to play an influential role.
“Look, we created the strongest border with the help of that man right there,” Trump said. “Tom is so incredible. He’s going to be a big influence here, too. There’s nobody more professional, nobody better as a human being.”
Trump continued: “You know, he looks tough. He’s got a good heart, but not too good.”
Trump fired Noem amid widespread criticism over her management of the department, including immigration enforcement in Minnesota that led to the deaths of two U.S. citizens and her decision to launch a $220 million ad campaign.
Thune says Democrats have received a formal proposal to end DHS shutdown
Thune discussed the path to end the DHS shutdown this afternoon, saying, “The time to end this is now.”
“The Democrats have in front of them a proposal with legislative text that would allow us to get DHS back and opened up again, and it is essentially what the Democrats have been asking for. And so we’re going to have an opportunity to vote on that, and I hope they will put their money where their mouth is,” he said.
NBC News asked Thune whether he intends to abide by the Senate parliamentarian’s advice in trying to pass the SAVE America Act through reconciliation.
“Obviously, the parliamentarian has a role to play in that process, and in the past, we have respected it, and I would expect we would do that,” Thune responded.
Thune said how quickly things move forward is now “in the hands of the Democrats,” but he said Republicans are “ready to move.”
Mullin vows to fight '365 days'
Mullin told Trump that he was humbled by the president’s recognition and promised to hit the ground running, saying he didn’t care “what color your state is.”
“Understand, I’ll be fighting 365 days — no one’s going to outwork me,” Mullin said. “The president has entrusted me with this, and failure is not an option.”
Mullin also praised DHS employees who have been working without pay during the shutdown, commending “their dedication to show up and still protect the homeland that you and I enjoy, and the freedoms that we’re experiencing, working for free, because of politics.”
Trump bashes Democrats while introducing Mullin
Introducing Mullin, Trump blasted Democrats for not funding DHS.
"The department Markwayne takes over today is currently shut down by radical left Democrat thugs in Congress who've blocked all funding for DHS because they're trying to shield illegal alien criminals, gang members — they want to protect them," Trump said. "I don't know how people can vote for them," he added, criticizing their failure to support the SAVE Act, as well.
Senate Republicans believe they've found a path to reopen the department, four sources familiar with negotiations between the White House and Congress told NBC News.
Trump said he'd support a "commonense" deal.
Mullin sworn in as DHS secretary
Mullin was sworn in by Attorney General Pam Bondi at the Oval Office, taking the oath to become the ninth homeland security secretary.
“He was there in Congress as a member of the House and then as an outstanding United States senator, and he really has been outstanding,” Trump said. "Everything he's done has been good — I say everything he touched has turned to gold."
Attendees at the swearing-in include former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Rep. Josh Gottheimer, DN.J., both friends of Mullin’s.
Trump reminded the room that he won Oklahoma, which Mullin represented for 13 years, in several presidential elections. “I won 77 out of 77 counties three times in a row,” Trump said. “So they like me there.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi swears in former Sen. Markwayne Mullin as the next secretary of homeland security as his wife, Christie Mullin, holds a Bible today. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
Rubio testifies at friend’s secret lobbying trial
Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified today about his interactions with former Miami congressman David Rivera nearly a decade ago, when his longtime friend was accused of secretly lobbying on behalf of Venezuela’s government.
Rivera and an associate were charged in 2022 with money laundering and failing to register as a foreign agent after they were awarded a $50 million lobbying contract from Nicolás Maduro’s government. Rivera denies wrongdoing.
Rubio, testifying in a packed federal courtroom in Miami with heightened security, said he and Rivera became “very close” when they overlapped for six years as members of the Florida Legislature in the early 2000s. They stayed close when they went to Washington at the same time — Rubio elected to the Senate, Rivera to the House — and shared friends and family gatherings.
Long lines persist after ICE agents deployed to U.S. airports
Armed ICE agents and other DHS officers are being deployed to major airports across the United States, including Chicago O’Hare International Airport, New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, as security wait times grow. On Capitol Hill, there are still no solutions to end the partial government shutdown that has resulted in the widespread TSA staffing issues. NBC’s Aaron Gilchrist reports for the "TODAY" show.
Schumer says 'things are getting back on track' with DHS talks
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the Senate floor this afternoon that “fortunately, it seems like things are getting back on track” in regard to reaching a deal to fund DHS “while at the same time securing real reforms to rein in ICE.”
Schumer said that Democrats are now awaiting the written proposal from Republicans.
He also criticized the presence of ICE at airports across the country. “Trump needs to pay TSA workers now and push Republicans to reach a deal," he said.
Viral videos of DOGE staffers' deposition can stay online, judge rules
U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon ruled yesterday that the viral deposition videos of two former DOGE staffers can remain online.
McMahon said the videos are about the “actions of government officials acting in their official capacities,” adding that the former DOGE staffer’s “embarrassment and reputational harm” doesn’t outweigh the public’s interest in their conduct.
“Here, the testimony in the videos concerns the conduct of public officials acting in their official capacities — a context in which the public interest in transparency and accountability is at its apex,” she said.
McMahon said the government failed to prove that the removal of the videos “would materially reduce the alleged risk of harm or embarrassment.”
“The videos have already been widely disseminated across multiple platforms, including YouTube, X, TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit, where they have been shared, reposted, and viewed by at least hundreds of thousands of users, resulting in near instantaneous and effectively permanent global distribution,” she wrote.
McMahon added, “This is a predictable consequence of dissemination in the modern digital environment, where content can be copied, redistributed, and indefinitely preserved beyond the control of any single actor.”
Nearly 11% of TSA officers called out yesterday, DHS says
Nearly 11% of Transportation Security Administration officers called out of work yesterday, according to Lauren Bis, the acting assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security.
TSA officers have been working without pay, and more than 450 of them have quit since the lapse in DHS funding began more than a month ago, Bis said. Democratic lawmakers have demanded reforms to immigration enforcement agencies in order to fund the entire department, and Republicans have rejected Democratic efforts to fund TSA alone.
Several of the country's busiest airports saw soaring rates of TSA officers calling out of work. More than a third of TSA officers called out at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, for example, while more than 40% called out in the Houston area and more than 37% called did so at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International airport.
The TSA shortages are leading to hourslong wait times to get through security at several airports across the country.
Republicans zero in on deal to fund DHS
A path to a deal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security that the White House appears to support is emerging, four sources familiar with negotiations between the White House and Congress tell NBC News.
The path involves funding part of ICE — the part that combats trafficking, but not funding Enforcement and Removal Operations, which handles deportations — in addition to funding the rest of DHS. Republicans would then attempt to use reconciliation to fund the rest of ICE and pass limited portions of the SAVE America Act that can be done through the reconciliation process.
One source with knowledge of the talks said the details of what the Senate can pass in reconciliation regarding the SAVE America Act will be limited by the budgetary constraints. One idea is to provide financial incentives to states to implement voter ID laws; another idea is to send money to DHS to “monitor elections” and conduct election security, the source said.
A White House official tells NBC News that conversations are still ongoing but this seems to be an acceptable solution.
A source familiar with the negotiations tells NBC News that Democrats are open to the Republican proposal but aren’t ready to endorse the plan until they see the specific text. Democrats also expect that, after seeing the concrete GOP proposal, they will still ask for additional concessions. While they are anxious to get DHS funding approved, they are still asking for specific restrictions from the administration as it relates to ICE operations before voting yes on any proposal.
No vote on this potential plan is set since formal text has not yet been released. To fast track a deal, Democrats would have to consent to speed up the process and bring the bill to the floor for a vote.
Oklahoma’s governor picks energy executive Alan Armstrong to fill Mullin's Senate seat
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt announced at a press conference this morning that energy executive Alan Armstrong will temporarily fill Markwayne Mullin’s Senate seat after he was confirmed as homeland security secretary last night.
Armstrong is the former CEO and current board chairman of Williams Cos. and has never served in elected office.
Armstrong is set to be sworn in today at 3:30 p.m., a source familiar with the plan told NBC News.
Armstrong’s tenure will be very brief. According to Oklahoma law, he must sign an affidavit vowing not to run for a full term. He will serve out the rest of Mullin’s term, until a new person is elected to fill the seat for a full 6-year term in the 2026 midterm elections. The current front-runner in that race is Trump-endorsed Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla.
“Alan is a proud third-generation Oklahoman, staunch conservative, respected business leader, and a devoted family man with an inspiring American Dream story,” Stitt wrote in a post on X. “He is entering the U.S. Senate at a critical time for advancing reforms to secure America’s energy future. I have no doubt that his perspective will be influential in moving the needle on permitting reform to unlock American competitiveness and energy affordability for generations to come.”
Melania Trump speaks at global summit to ‘empower children’ through education
First lady Melania Trump delivered the opening remarks at the Fostering the Future Together global summit in Washington, D.C., as the coalition of nations aims to empower children through education and technology.
Trump administration names influencer Nick Adams special envoy rather than renominating him for ambassadorship
Self-described "alpha male" influencer Nick Adams announced this morning that Trump appointed him to be special presidential envoy for American tourism, exceptionalism and values.
The State Department website says Adams started the role last week. It's unclear what his role specifically entails, but the statement shared by Adams says he "will play a vital role in revitalizing America’s diplomatic position as a beacon of free speech, the freedom to worship, and a land of unlimited opportunity for those who align with the traditions and values of the United States of America."
Adams was previously nominated to be ambassador to Malaysia, but the Senate did not vote on his confirmation before the last Congress adjourned in early January.
Adams has previously criticized "the perils of radical feminism" and has posted video messaged with titles like "“How to flirt like a gentleman” and “How to be a confident Alpha.”
Rubio takes witness stand at former roommate's criminal trial
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was the first witness called this morning in the criminal trial of his former friend David Rivera, who's charged with secretly lobbying for Venezuela's government during the first Trump administration.
Rubio is testifying for the prosecution in the case.
Asked if he's currently employed, Rubio smiled and said he's the secretary of state and the president's national security adviser.
His testimony marks the first time in more than 40 years that a Cabinet secretary has testified in a criminal case, according to The Associated Press.
Long lines persist after ICE agents deployed to U.S. airports
Armed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and other DHS officers are being deployed to major airports across the United States, including Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, as security wait times grow. On Capitol Hill, there are still no solutions to end the partial government shutdown that has resulted in the widespread TSA staffing issues. NBC’s Aaron Gilchrist reports for "TODAY."
America’s wealth gap is growing, and Trump’s policies are making it bigger
How’s the economy?
Not bad if you’re rich.
Demand for luxury yachts and private jets is surging thanks to last year’s tax law. Sales of $10 million-plus mansions are booming as stocks hit new highs. And the wealthy and powerful will get to enjoy a new ballroom for galas at the White House.
What if you aren’t rich?
The typical American can’t afford the median-priced home. A new car is out of reach for many, with the average monthly payment exceeding $700. Food banks are seeing a growing number of people skipping meals because they can’t afford groceries, and more middle-class Americans are selling their plasma to make ends meet.
New federal prosecutor to take the helm in New Jersey after months of upheaval
A career prosecutor is set to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey after successful consultations between federal judges and the Trump administration that were preceded by months of legal fights and significant turnover.
Robert Frazer, who has served in the New Jersey U.S. attorney’s office for more than two decades and was most recently its senior trial counsel, will become the top federal prosecutor in the state.
The chief judge for the district signed a one-sentence order yesterday appointing Frazer. The same day, a letter signed by an assistant U.S. attorney in the office said Frazer’s appointment “followed consultations between the District Court and the Department of Justice’s senior leadership.”
Senate Republicans optimistic about DHS funding after meeting with Trump
Senate Republicans expressed optimism about a path on DHS funding last night after a small group of them met with Trump at the White House.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she would not “get into the details that were agreed on at the White House, but I will say that I’m optimistic that we’re on a good track.”
Asked whether Republicans had a solution to funding DHS, Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama said, “We do.”
Britt, who was spotted at the White House last evening along with Sens. Steve Daines of Montana and Bernie Moreno of Ohio, deferred to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on sharing the specifics of the plan.
Thune, who was not at the White House meeting, said there was nothing to announce “at this point,” but he said he heard the meeting was positive. Later, Thune said he feels “good about it,” adding that the “White House meeting, I think, was very constructive.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said, “Both sides are talking in a serious way.”
Schumer was spotted on the Senate floor tonight talking with Britt, Moreno and Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee.
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., meanwhile, expressed frustration that the Senate was “not making any progress” on funding DHS.
“Maybe there’s some major breakthrough with the White House that Katie’s talking about, but every one of these meetings could be an email,” said Kennedy, who was not at the White House and had not yet spoken to Britt.
Trump said in Memphis today that he told Republicans not to make a deal with Democrats on funding DHS, which is in a partial shutdown, unless there’s an agreement on passing the massive voting overhaul bill known as the SAVE America Act, which Democrats oppose.
Rubio to testify in trial of former roommate accused of secretly lobbying for Venezuela
Secretary of State Marco Rubio set to testify this morning in the federal trial of a former Miami congressman accused of secretly lobbying for Venezuela’s government during the first Trump administration.
Prosecutors allege David Rivera was a hired gun for former President Nicolás Maduro, leveraging Republican connections from his time in Congress to push the White House to abandon its hard line on Venezuela’s socialist government.
Mullin to be sworn in as homeland security secretary
Sen. Markwayne Mullin will be sworn in as homeland security secretary this afternoon at the White House.
Mullin was confirmed last night by a vote of 54-45, with two Democrats — Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico — joining with Republicans to support his confirmation. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was the lone Republican to vote against him.
Trump is expected to participate in Mullin's swearing-in ceremony.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, will appoint a temporary replacement to fill Mullin's seat.
