Politics makes for strange bedfellows, but sometimes it just makes for really loud arguments and weird stories about energy drinks. If you’ve been following the orbit of Donald Trump’s second term, you probably saw the name Markwayne Mullin pop up quite a bit alongside Matt Gaetz.
It’s a bizarre pairing. One is a former MMA fighter and plumber from Oklahoma who now sits in the Senate. The other is a Florida firebrand who became the face of the "burn it all down" wing of the House. For a while there, it looked like Mullin was going to be the guy to personally derail Gaetz’s dream of becoming Attorney General.
Honestly, the history between these two feels more like a locker room feud than a policy debate. You've got two guys with massive personalities, both loyal to the same president, yet they spent a good chunk of 2023 and 2024 basically at each other's throats.
The "Energy Drink" Allegations and the House Floor
To understand why the Markwayne Mullin Matt Gaetz dynamic got so toxic, you have to go back to the ousting of Kevin McCarthy. When Gaetz led the charge to strip McCarthy of the Speaker’s gavel, he didn't just annoy the Democrats. He infuriated a lot of his own colleagues.
Mullin was one of them. He didn't just hold a press conference to talk about "decorum" or "procedure." He went on CNN and started dropping what can only be described as middle-school-level dirt—but with adult-level consequences.
Mullin claimed that Gaetz used to walk around the House floor showing off videos of his sexual "conquests." He even told a story about Gaetz bragging about crushing up erectile dysfunction pills and washing them down with energy drinks so he could "go all night."
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It was a wild accusation. Gaetz, for his part, denied it all, but the damage was done. It painted a picture of a guy who wasn't just a political rebel, but someone who was—at least in Mullin's telling—deeply unprincipled.
The Attorney General Nomination Shock
Fast forward to late 2024. Trump wins. The transition starts moving at lightning speed. Suddenly, the news breaks: Trump wants Matt Gaetz to lead the Department of Justice.
The political world collectively gasped.
Because Gaetz had been the subject of a DOJ investigation into sex trafficking (which ended without charges) and a House Ethics Committee probe, the nomination was always going to be a heavy lift. Enter Markwayne Mullin. As a Senator, he wasn't just a spectator anymore; he was a gatekeeper.
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Under Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, the Senate has to "advise and consent" on these picks. Mullin, despite calling Trump a close friend, didn't immediately fall in line. He went on Meet the Press and said the Senate "absolutely" needed to see the unreleased House Ethics report on Gaetz.
He basically said, "Look, I’ll give him a fair shot, but we need the facts."
Why the Relationship Actually Matters
You might wonder why we’re still talking about this. It’s because the friction between these two guys highlights the massive rift inside the Republican party.
- The Institutionalists: Guys like Mullin who, despite being MAGA-aligned, still believe the Senate has a job to do in vetting people.
- The Disruptors: The Gaetz wing that sees the vetting process as a "deep state" hurdle to be jumped over or ignored.
Mullin’s stance was actually pretty nuanced. He kept saying he trusted Trump's judgment, but he also wouldn't budge on seeing that report. He even admitted he didn't even know Gaetz was a lawyer until he looked it up after the nomination. That's a pretty sick burn in D.C. speak.
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The Withdrawal and the Aftermath
In the end, the Markwayne Mullin Matt Gaetz showdown didn't happen in a committee room. It ended in a social media post. On November 21, 2024, Gaetz withdrew his name. He said his confirmation was becoming a "distraction."
Mullin’s reaction was short and blunt. He called the withdrawal a "positive move."
It’s kind of a lesson in how power works in Washington. You can be the President’s favorite, but if you have peers who remember you showing off questionable videos on the House floor, your path to a Cabinet seat is going to be paved with broken glass.
What This Means for 2026 and Beyond
Mullin is up for reelection in 2026. By standing his ground on the Ethics report, he showed he isn't a total rubber stamp, which plays well with moderate Republicans in Oklahoma. Gaetz, meanwhile, remains a force in Florida politics, though his path forward is a lot more complicated now.
If you’re watching this space, keep an eye on how Mullin handles future "controversial" picks. He’s carved out a niche as the "common sense" voice in the MAGA movement.
Next Steps for Following This Story:
1. Check the House Ethics Committee Status
The committee actually met in December 2024 to discuss the finality of their work. Even though Gaetz resigned his seat, the findings often leak or get summarized in later oversight reports. Searching for "Gaetz ethics report summary 2025" usually yields the most recent transparency updates.
2. Watch Mullin's Voting Record on Pam Bondi
Since Pam Bondi was the pick that followed Gaetz, comparing Mullin's rhetoric between the two provides a blueprint for what he actually values in a DOJ head. He was much quicker to praise Bondi, suggesting his beef with Gaetz was truly personal and character-based.
3. Monitor Florida’s Special Election Results
The seat Gaetz vacated triggered a special election. Who fills that seat tells you a lot about whether "Gaetzism" is still the dominant strain of GOP politics in Florida or if the district is looking for a different style of representation.