Sen. Markwayne Mullin's stock picks are drawing fresh scrutiny just as the Oklahoma Republican is up for one of the most powerful jobs in the federal government. The New York Times reports that Mullin has become one of Congress' most active traders, with his portfolio swelling since he arrived in Washington and his investments beating the market by about 8% from 2024 to 2026, according to an economist who reviewed his trades. Among them: a late-December purchase of Chevron shares, days before then-President Trump publicly pressured Venezuela over oil terms; the stock later climbed while the broader market fell. There's no evidence Mullin had advance knowledge of that move, and an expert calls the performance possibly "blind luck."
Mullin, Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, now holds assets estimated between $29 million and $97 million, up from as little as $2.8 million in 2012, after selling his family plumbing business and ramping up trading. His investments have included companies with major DHS and federal contracts, such as Microsoft, RTX, and defense contractor L3Harris, whose shares surged after his purchases. Mullin has occasionally filed late trade disclosures and says an outside manager handles his investments. A White House rep says he "will comply with all ethics and conflict of interest rules, just as every cabinet secretary does." The Hill notes one other potential dark cloud on the horizon for Mullin: He went after fellow Senate Republican Rand Paul, who could be a factor in Mullin's confirmation.
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