How badly were things going for Sen. Markwayne Mulling during the beginning of his confirmation hearing for DHS head? So badly that Fox "News" couldn't take it anymore and cut away.

Trump's DHS pick Markwayne Mullin is confronted by Rand Paul at Senate hearing:

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., the chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, used his opening statement to confront Mullin for reportedly calling him a “freaking snake” and saying he “completely” understands why a neighbor assaulted Paul in 2017.

“Tell me to my face why you think I deserved it,” Paul told Mullin, while also bringing up Mullin's attempt to challenge a labor union leader to a fight during a 2023 committee hearing. “And while you’re at it, 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.”

“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.

Fox started coverage of the hearing shortly after the testy exchange between Paul and Mullin began, and within 3 or 4 minutes, cut away and never came back. Other networks stayed with the live coverage, which tells you all you need to know about what Fox producers thought of how the hearing was going. So they pulled their usual. Anything that's not good news for Republicans, just pretend it doesn't exist.

Here's some of what they didn't want their viewers to see.

RAND PAUL: Do you think fighting as a resolution for political differences is a good example for ICE and CBP?

MULLIN: As you can notice over my shoulder is my good friend Sean O'Brien. Both agree with could've done things different. That's how you handle your differences. Not like this, chairman.

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) March 18, 2026 at 9:07 AM

MARKWAYNE MULLIN: I get it. It's about character assassination for you. You're making this about you

RAND PAUL: It's 'character assassination' when you were the one lauding the assault?!

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) March 18, 2026 at 9:09 AM

MARKWAYNE MULLIN: Dueling with two consenting adults is still there

RAND PAUL: It's been illegal for 170 years! There's no precedent for legal dueling

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) March 18, 2026 at 9:10 AM

Rand Paul confronts Markwayne Mullin at his confirmation hearing to replace Kristi Noem about his history of advocating for violence to resolve political differences, including caning, fistfights, biting, dueling, and punching people in the face. pic.twitter.com/kYPNvB1YqA

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) March 18, 2026

🚨Holy sh*t.

Rand Paul just rolled the viral video of Sen. Mullin threatening Teamsters union president Sean O’Brien to “stand your butt up” for a physical fight.

This is embarrassing. My god. pic.twitter.com/ScoGCY0lKr

— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) March 18, 2026

Rand Paul: Do you realize that the man that beat Charles Sumner with a cane, he beat him till he was unconscious. That's what you're insinuating, is the precedent of the senate, and that's what you live by. That is a very, very dangerous sentiment. pic.twitter.com/NsvMgnZi3Q

— Acyn (@Acyn) March 18, 2026