“I loved it” — former MMA fighter, DHS Sec. Mullin raves after attending first soccer match

Who?Secretary Markwayne Mullin — Department of Homeland SecurityWhere?House Homeland Security Appropriations SubcommitteeKey Mullin:“I’m not a soccer fan. I had never been to a soccer game before until LA and our opening day on the 12th of June. I loved it,” Secretary Markwayne Mullin testified at the Capitol this week. “It’s like becoming a NASCAR fan, watching it on TV isn’t as fun as being there in person, and being there in person was something to experience.”Caught our ear:“Now I find myself watching it all the time in evenings. I’m even going back through and speeding through games and it’s pretty exciting,” Mullin tells us.Below find a rough transcript of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin testifying before the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, slightly edited for clarity.TRANSCRIPT: Secretary Markwayne Mullin (6-25-2026)SCENE: During a testy hearing before the House Homeland Security Appropriations — or spending — Subcommittee, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin offered an unexpectedly candid confession about the World Cup his department is helping protect.Secretary Markwayne Mullin: “I’m not a soccer fan. I had never been to a soccer game before until LA and our opening day on the 12th of June. I loved it.“It’s like becoming a NASCAR fan, watching it on TV isn’t as fun as being there in person, and being there in person was something to experience.“And so now I find myself watching it all the time in evenings. I’m even going back through and speeding through games, and it’s pretty exciting.”About Ask a Pol: We give listeners a front row seat to Congress. Transparency matters, so come inside the Capitol with us! Politicians disappoint. Ask a Pol keeps em honest. Ask a Pol’s on Venmo, PayPal, Cash App — or just buy the team a beer!Find us on social media:SubstackXSpotifyAppleDon’t miss our other Ask a Pol sites! Ask a Pol politics.Ask a Pol crypto. Ask a Pol drugs. Ask a Pol ai. Ask a Pol uaps. Find Ask a Pol founder @MattLaslo on social media. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.askapolpolitics.com/subscribe