Pete Hegseth Finds a Senate Hype Man in Markwayne Mullin

“He doesn’t have a better friend,” one Republican said of the Oklahoma senator’s efforts to get the embattled defense secretary pick through his confirmation hearings.

Markwayne Mullin

Angelina Katsanis/POLITICO via AP

Pete Hegseth may face a tough path to securing a Senate confirmation as one of President-elect Donald Trump’s most controversial nominees, but one Republican senator has quickly emerged as a key supporter for Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon.

Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, one of the first senators to meet with Hegseth on Capitol Hill, has been a vocal supporter of the former Fox News anchor as he faces questions about his past conduct. The senator’s support is no small matter: Mullin has a perch on the Senate Committee on Armed Services, whose members are trusted by their peers to ask the tough questions for this role.

When asked about Mullin advocating for him, Sen. Lindsey Graham said it’s a good thing.