Overview
- Appearing on Fox News to defend President Trump during coverage of U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran, Sen. Markwayne Mullin depicted the “smell” and “taste” of war despite having no military service.
- He twice referred to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as “President Hegseth,” a gaffe that compounded the outcry captured in widely shared clips.
- Veterans and veteran-led groups, including VoteVets, ridiculed the remarks, and Rep. Pat Ryan challenged Mullin’s authority to speak about combat experience.
- Commenters resurfaced images of Mullin sheltering at the Capitol on January 6, 2021 to question his claims of familiarity with combat conditions.
- Coverage also highlighted Mullin’s recent factual flubs on Iran, including confusing Iran with Iraq on air and past misstatements about Iranian leaders flagged by journalist Yashar Ali, with no public apology noted in the reports.