Welch: Mullin Will Get Confirmed — He’s ‘Competent and He’s Honest’

March 5, 2026
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Senator Peter Welch, the Vermont Democrat who's no stranger to pushing gun control agendas, just handed the 2A community a rare compliment on CNN's The Arena. In a Thursday appearance, Welch predicted that President Trump's nominee to replace Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary—Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin—will sail through Senate confirmation because he's competent and he's honest. Coming from a blue-state progressive like Welch, whose home turf has some of the nation's strictest firearm restrictions, this endorsement feels like manna from heaven. It's not every day a left-leaning senator vouches for a rock-solid Second Amendment defender like Mullin, who's consistently earned top grades from the NRA and NRA-PVF for his pro-gun voting record. Digging deeper, Mullin's track record makes Welch's praise a strategic win for gun owners. As a freshman senator with a background in mixed martial arts and small business ownership, Mullin brings a no-nonsense toughness to DHS at a time when border security intersects directly with 2A issues—think cartel smuggling of firearms and the flood of illegal guns tied to transnational crime. Noem, his predecessor, was a fierce 2A warrior who vetoed red flag laws and championed concealed carry reciprocity, but her tenure was marred by controversies that Trump likely wants to sidestep. Mullin's confirmation signals continuity in a Trump administration poised to dismantle Biden-era ATF overreaches like pistol brace bans and the ongoing war on private sales. Welch's nod underscores bipartisan respect for Mullin's integrity, potentially smoothing the path for DHS policies that prioritize enforcement over erosion of constitutional rights. For the 2A community, this is bigger than one cabinet pick—it's a bellwether for Trump's second term. With Mullin at the helm, expect aggressive pushback against sanctuary cities harboring gun criminals and a renewed focus on tracing illicit firearms without infringing on law-abiding owners. Welch's unwitting boosterism highlights a crack in the anti-gun facade: even opponents recognize Mullin's competence won't tolerate the bureaucratic sabotage we've seen under Mayorkas. Gun rights advocates should watch confirmation hearings closely; a swift Mullin victory could turbocharge pro-2A reforms, from defunding rogue ATF initiatives to bolstering federal protections for self-defense. Stay vigilant—this is momentum we can build on.

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Senator Peter Welch, the Vermont Democrat who’s no stranger to pushing gun control agendas, just handed the 2A community a rare compliment on CNN’s The Arena. In a Thursday appearance, Welch predicted that President Trump’s nominee to replace Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary—Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin—will sail through Senate confirmation because he’s competent and he’s honest. Coming from a blue-state progressive like Welch, whose home turf has some of the nation’s strictest firearm restrictions, this endorsement feels like manna from heaven. It’s not every day a left-leaning senator vouches for a rock-solid Second Amendment defender like Mullin, who’s consistently earned top grades from the NRA and NRA-PVF for his pro-gun voting record.

Digging deeper, Mullin’s track record makes Welch’s praise a strategic win for gun owners. As a freshman senator with a background in mixed martial arts and small business ownership, Mullin brings a no-nonsense toughness to DHS at a time when border security intersects directly with 2A issues—think cartel smuggling of firearms and the flood of illegal guns tied to transnational crime. Noem, his predecessor, was a fierce 2A warrior who vetoed red flag laws and championed concealed carry reciprocity, but her tenure was marred by controversies that Trump likely wants to sidestep. Mullin’s confirmation signals continuity in a Trump administration poised to dismantle Biden-era ATF overreaches like pistol brace bans and the ongoing war on private sales. Welch’s nod underscores bipartisan respect for Mullin’s integrity, potentially smoothing the path for DHS policies that prioritize enforcement over erosion of constitutional rights.

For the 2A community, this is bigger than one cabinet pick—it’s a bellwether for Trump’s second term. With Mullin at the helm, expect aggressive pushback against sanctuary cities harboring gun criminals and a renewed focus on tracing illicit firearms without infringing on law-abiding owners. Welch’s unwitting boosterism highlights a crack in the anti-gun facade: even opponents recognize Mullin’s competence won’t tolerate the bureaucratic sabotage we’ve seen under Mayorkas. Gun rights advocates should watch confirmation hearings closely; a swift Mullin victory could turbocharge pro-2A reforms, from defunding rogue ATF initiatives to bolstering federal protections for self-defense. Stay vigilant—this is momentum we can build on.

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