Norms Impact
MAGA senator slammed for describing ‘smell of war’ when he’s never served
A senator tasked with war oversight used televised battlefield posturing and regime-change rhetoric to project authority without service, weakening the norm of accountable, sober civilian control over force.
Mar 3, 2026
Sources
Summary
Sen. Markwayne Mullin drew backlash after describing the “smell of war” on Fox News while discussing U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran, despite never having served in the military. A sitting member of the Senate Armed Forces Committee publicly framed war through personal sensory authority while praising Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s experience and misstating his title. The result is a normalization of civilian political theater in war talk that blurs accountability for decisions that risk U.S. troops’ lives.
Reality Check
When leaders with formal war-making influence speak about violence as personal authority or televised performance, we lower the bar for accountability in decisions that put Americans in harm’s way. Normalizing this kind of posture from a Senate Armed Forces Committee member conditions the public to accept war talk untethered from competence, precision, or responsibility. Over time, that erodes the democratic expectation that elected officials justify military action with clarity and restraint rather than identity signaling and escalation cues.
Media
Detail
<p>On Monday, Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin appeared on Fox News and spoke about the “smell of war” while discussing U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran. Mullin said war “smells bad” and described sensory details of being near war, then referred to “President” Pete Hegseth before correcting himself to “Secretary Hegseth,” adding that Hegseth “has been there and he’s done that.”</p><p>Online responses criticized Mullin for speaking as if from military experience. Veteran and activist Charlotte Clymer reposted a clip and noted Mullin did not serve, writing that he chose to inherit his father’s business instead. The Angry Staffer account and VoteVets also criticized him in responses to the clip. Some commenters shared a photograph portraying Mullin as hiding during the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack.</p><p>In a separate Fox Business appearance Monday, Mullin misspoke by confusing Iran with Iraq while discussing leadership change in Iran and echoed Trump’s call for Iranians to overthrow their government.</p>