Overview
- On Fox News, Sen. Markwayne Mullin described the sensory 'smell' of war while defending President Trump’s actions on Iran.
- Mullin has never served in the military, a fact highlighted by veterans group VoteVets and elected veteran Rep. Pat Ryan in sharp rebukes.
- He twice referred to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as 'President Hegseth' during the interview, drawing additional ridicule.
- Commentators recirculated images of Mullin sheltering in the Senate chamber on Jan. 6, 2021, to contrast with his combat rhetoric.
- Coverage also flagged his recent on-air errors about Iran’s leadership and a separate Iran–Iraq mix-up, and no public response from him was reported.