Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin was given a pretty important reminder after he waxed poetic about the "smell" of war during a Fox News appearance—he can't possibly know what war smells like.
Mullin spoke to defend the Trump administration's war in Iran that began after Trump authorized attacks on the country on Saturday morning.
He said:
“War is ugly, smells bad, and if anybody’s ever been there, and been able to smell the war that’s happened around you and taste it and feel it in your nostrils and hear it, it’s something that you’ll never forget, and it’s ugly."
"And fortunately, you have, President Hegseth — or I say, ‘President Hegseth’ — Secretary [of Defense Pete] Hegseth that is — got a great relationship with President Trump. And [Secretary] Hegseth’s been there, he’s done that.”
You can hear what he said in the video below.
There's a big problem with Mullin's statement—he has no military experience and can't possibly know what the "smell" of war is like.
Mullin was a "business owner" and "cow-calf rancher" in Oklahoma before running for office, according to his website. He "grew up on his family’s ranch in Westville where he and his family still reside to this day" and attended Missouri Valley College on a wrestling scholarship until he was 20.
VoteVets, a veterans advocacy group that promotes progressive values, swiftly called him out:
"Sen. Mullin probably thinks war smells like Mt. Dew, couch cushions, and control sweat because Call of Duty is the closest he's ever been to war."
You can see the organization's post below.
Former Illinois Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger, who served in the Air Force, commented:
"This is so odd. Mullin is NOT a war veteran."
You can see his post below.
Others also criticized Mullin's remarks.
Now we just need to find out what the reality-bending legislator meant by the "President Hegseth" remark.
