2026年3月18日 / 美国东部时间上午11:29 / 哥伦比亚广播公司新闻
参议院国土安全委员会主席兰德·保罗（Rand Paul）在周三的确认听证会上猛烈批评了参议员马克韦恩·穆林（Markwayne Mullin），称其为“有愤怒问题的人”，此前穆林曾称保罗是“该死的蛇”，并且表示穆林称自己理解为什么2017年一名邻居会袭击保罗。
穆林是在特朗普总统提名他接替克里斯蒂·诺姆（Kristi Noem）担任国土安全部部长后，出现在国土安全与政府事务委员会面前的。特朗普先生在3月初表示，诺姆将在本月底离职。
在开场陈述中，保罗谈到了政治暴力，回忆了自己在院子里遇袭的经历。他描述了自己的伤势，包括多处肋骨骨折和肺部受损，以及漫长而痛苦的恢复过程，感觉就像“被1000把刀割”。
“我只是想知道，一个为政治对手的暴力行为喝彩的人，是否是领导一个一直在努力接受武力正确使用限制的机构的合适人选，”保罗说。
他随后指责穆林通过人身攻击来回应政策分歧，并似乎纵容这种暴力行为。
“你告诉媒体我是‘该死的蛇’，而且你完全理解我为什么会被袭击，”保罗说。“我很震惊你会为这场给我和我的家人带来巨大痛苦的暴力袭击辩解和喝彩……你还吹嘘你已经当面告诉我你完全理解并支持那次袭击。”
保罗表示，穆林从未当面向他说过这样的话，然后要求穆林澄清他过去的言论。
“你今天有机会。你可以继续撒谎，或者你可以纠正记录。你从来没有勇气看着我的眼睛告诉我这次袭击是正当的。所以今天你有机会了，”他说。“如果你相信，就当面告诉我。今天告诉我。告诉全世界你为什么认为我应该被从背后袭击，为什么我应该有六根肋骨骨折和肺部受损。”
他接着说，穆林应该“向美国公众解释为什么他们应该相信一个有愤怒问题的人能为美国移民和海关执法局（ICE）和边境巡逻队探员树立恰当的榜样”，并提到了2023年的一起事件，当时穆林在参议院卫生、教育、劳动和养老金委员会听证会上向国际卡车司机兄弟会主席肖恩·奥布莱恩（Sean O’Brien）挑战进行身体搏斗。当时，穆林嘲讽奥布莱恩“把屁股撅起来”，直到委员会主席伯尼·桑德斯参议员（Sen. Bernie Sanders）介入。奥布莱恩和穆林后来成为了好朋友，奥布莱恩也出席了听证会。
“解释一下，一个在参议院委员会里毫无悔意地打架的人，如何能为国土安全部25万多名工作人员树立恰当的榜样，”保罗说。
在穆林的开场陈述中，他直接回应了保罗的言论，但没有道歉。
“我说过，考虑到你的行为，我能理解为什么你的邻居会那么做，”穆林说。“至于我用的‘草蛇’这个词，先生，我在这个房间里努力解决问题。我和这个房间里的许多人一起工作过。似乎你和共和党人斗争得比和我们合作得多。我确实解释了那些言论。我确实解释了你提出的修正案中的小把戏。”
穆林还指责保罗“花费数百万美元在我的竞选活动中反对我，因为我们就是合不来”，但随后表示他将搁置“党派纷争”，以“赢得”国土安全部部长的职位。
在第一轮质询中，保罗进一步表示，要求记录显示穆林“毫无悔意”。他随后表示，虽然搁置“政治分歧”是一回事，但他无法接受穆林“毫无悔悟”的语气。
“当你说你同意一个罪犯，一个恨特朗普的罪犯不知为何攻击我，你觉得我会就此搁置吗？‘哦，没什么大不了的？’”保罗说。“你知道，我痛苦地躺了两个月，六根肋骨骨折，其中三根分离，骨头相互摩擦，我有两个月躺在那里，六个月肋骨骨折，其中三根分离，骨头相互摩擦，我的部分肺被切除了。你觉得这很棒，还值得赞扬。我是说，你显然完全没有意识到自己将领导成千上万的人。”
保罗随后播放了一段穆林攻击性言论的视频集锦，包括他2023年与奥布莱恩的争执。
此外，一位熟悉听证会的消息人士向哥伦比亚广播公司新闻证实，保罗阻止了阿拉巴马州共和党参议员凯蒂·布里特（Katie Britt）在确认听证会上介绍穆林。
布里特领导参议院拨款委员会国土安全小组委员会，并参与了该部门资金的谈判。
布里特证实她被阻止介绍穆林。
“我真的很失望，”她告诉记者。“我显然要求有机会谈论我们的同事和我的好朋友。我本希望主席会允许这样做。我们确实谈过。他告诉我那不是他会允许的事情。”
布里特说，她将改为将她的发言记录在案。
即使保罗投票反对穆林，民主党委员会成员约翰·费特曼（John Fetterman）已经表示他会支持提名，因此穆林很可能会进入参议院进行最终投票。确认他需要简单多数票。
妮可·基伦（Nikole Killion）和艾伦（Alan）对此报道有贡献。
Rand Paul calls Markwayne Mullin a “man with anger issues” in confirmation hearing
March 18, 2026 / 11:29 AM EDT / CBS News
Senate Homeland Security Chairman Rand Paul fiercely criticized Senator Markwayne Mullin during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, calling him a “man with anger issues” after Mullin previously called Paul a “freaking snake” and that Mullin said he understood why a neighbor attacked Paul in 2017.
Mullin is appearing before the Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs after President Trump nominated him to replace Kristi Noem as the Secretary of Homeland Security. Mr. Trump said earlier in March that Noem would leave the position at the end of the month.
During his opening remarks, Paul addressed political violence, recounting being attacked in his yard. He described his injuries, including multiple broken ribs and a damaged lung, and a long, painful recovery that felt like “1,000 knives.”
“I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force,” Paul said.
He then accused Mullin of responding to a policy disagreement by attacking him personally and appearing to condone that violence.
“You told the media that I was a ‘freaking snake’ and that you completely understood why I had been assaulted,” Paul said. “I was shocked that you would justify and celebrate this violent assault that caused me so much pain and my family so much pain. … You went on to brag that you’d already told me to my face that you completely understood and approved of the assault.”
Chairman Sen. Rand Paul delivers an opening statement during a confirmation hearing for U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin on March 18, 2026 in Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
Paul said that Mullin had never made such a comment to his face, then challenged Mullin to clarify his past remarks.
“You’ve got a chance today. You can either continue to lie or you can correct the record. You never had the courage to look me in the eye and tell me that the assault was justified. So today you’ll have your chance,” he said. “Tell it to my face, if that’s what you believe. Tell it to me today. Tell the world why you believe I deserved to be assaulted from behind, have six ribs broken and a damaged lung.”
He then said that Mullin should “explain to the American public why they should trust a man with anger issues to set the proper example for ICE and Border Patrol agents” and referenced an 2023 incident where Mullin challenged Teamsters President Sean O’Brien to a physical fight in a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee hearing. At the time, Mullin taunted O’Brien to “stand (his) butt up” before committee chairman Sen. Bernie Sanders intervened. O’Brien and Mullin later became good friends, and O’Brien was present at the hearing.
“Explain how a man who has no regrets about brawling in a Senate committee can set a proper example for over 250,000 men and women who work at the Department of Homeland Security,” Paul said.
In Mullin’s opening remarks, he addressed Paul’s comments directly, but he did not apologize.
“I said I could understand, because of the behavior you were having, that I can understand why your neighbor did what he did,” Mullin said. “As far as my terms and snake in the grass, sir, I work around this room to try to fix problems. I worked with many people in this room. Seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us. I did address those remarks. I did explain your gimmicks by the amendment you put forth.”
Mullin also accused Paul of spending “millions of dollars in my campaigns against me, because we just don’t get along,” but then said he would set aside “partisan bickering” to “earn the job” of Homeland Security Secretary.
During his first round of questioning, Paul doubled down, asking that the record show “a lack of contrition” from Mullin. He then said that while it was one thing to set aside “political differences,” he could not accept Mullin’s “unrepentant” tone.
“When you say that you agree with a felon, a Trump hating felon who attacked me somehow, you think I’m just going to set that aside? ‘Oh, it’s no big deal?’” Paul said. “You know, I lay in pain for two months, had six ribs broken, three of them separated, grinding upon bone on bone, for months, had part of my lung removed. And you think that’s great, and to be extolled. I mean, the sheer lack of any kind of self awareness that you’re going to be leading thousands of men and women.”
Paul then played a video compilation of aggressive remarks by Mullin, including his 2023 exchange with O’Brien.
Further, a source familiar with the proceedings confirmed to CBS News that Paul blocked Sen. Katie Britt, an Alabama Republican, from introducing Mullin at the confirmation hearing
Britt leads the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security and has been involved in negotiations over funding the department.
Britt confirmed that she was kept from introducing Mullin.
“I’m really disappointed,” she told reporters. “I asked obviously for the opportunity to speak about our colleague and my dear friend. I would’ve hoped that would’ve been something the chairman would have allowed to happen. We did speak. He told me that was not something he was going to let me do.”
Britt said she will instead submit her remarks for the record.
Even if Paul votes against Mullin, Democratic committee member John Fetterman has already said he would support the nomination, so he likely will advance to the full Senate for a vote. A simple majority is needed to confirm him.
Nikole Killion and Alan He contributed to this report.
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