Fetterman breaks with party, casts key vote to advance DHS nominee

President Trump fires DHS Secretary Kristi Noem

FOX 29's Jenn Frederick shares breaking news about the firing of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. 

WASHINGTON - Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman sided with Republicans on Thursday, casting the decisive vote to move President Donald Trump’s pick of Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) to head the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) out of committee.

Mullin’s confirmation proceeded from committee with an 8–7 tally.

The move comes just two weeks after the president fired former DHS secretary Kristi Noem. Noem faced waves of criticism regarding Trump’s immigration crackdown, and her firing specifically came after she testified regarding the shooting deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis. 

What they're saying:

Shortly after the vote, Fetterman took to X to explain why he voted to move Mullin forward. 

"In January, I called on the president to fire Noem—and he did," the senator wrote. "I truly approached the confirmation of my colleague and friend, Senator Mullin, with an open mind. We need a leader at DHS." 

"We must reopen DHS," he added, referring to the ongoing partial government shutdown, which has left tens of thousands of DHS workers, including TSA agents, working without pay. Lawmakers remain deadlocked over immigration enforcement reforms and oversight requirements tied to agency funding.

"My aye is rooted in a strong, committed, constructive working relationship with Senator Mullin for our nation’s security," Fetterman said. 

Sen. John Fetterman, (D‑Pa.), casts a vote during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee meeting at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., on March 19, 2026, as the panel advances Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s, (R‑Ok

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Fetterman's voting record

Dig deeper:

This is hardly the first time Fetterman has broken ranks with his party. 

He voted with Republicans to fund the government over a dozen times last year during the country's longest-ever government shutdown, while the vast majority of Democrats held out. Ultimately, he was one of only eight Senate Democrats to vote with Republicans to pass the final resolution which reopened the government. 

Fetterman was also one of the few Democrats who voted to confirm some of President Donald Trump's Cabinet appointees last year.  

Shortly after the shutdown vote, Fetterman stood by his voting record in an interview on CBS Mornings. 

"I vote a 91% Democratic line, and if Democrats have a problem with somebody that votes 91% of the same times as you are, more than nine out of 10 times, then maybe our party has a bigger problem," he said during the appearance. 

What's next:

Now, Mullin will be considered before the full Senate. If confirmed, he'll serve as the next secretary of the department. 

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, (R-S.D.), told reporters Wednesday that he hopes the Senate will vote on Mullin’s confirmation early next week, per the AP.