Trump official Markwayne Mullin says on live TV that ‘Biden administration’ is currently ‘failing the American people’
The homeland security secretary’s comment came 19 months after President Joe Biden left office
NEED TO KNOW
- Markwayne Mullin credited the Biden administration with today’s problems more than a year and a half after President Joe Biden left office
- “You have a Biden administration that is failing the American people because they are allowing millions of people to come into this country illegally,” the homeland security said during a press conference on Monday, Aug. 31
- President Donald Trump and his top officials have routinely blamed the previous administration on issues where Trump has polled poorly, including the economy and foreign affairs
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin took aim at the Biden administration during a news conference Monday, Aug. 31, phrasing his remarks as though the Democratic president who left office 19 months ago was still in power.
Mullin appeared alongside Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to announce the emergency closure of 110 driving schools that federal officials say issued commercial driver’s licenses to people who did not meet federal requirements, including rules requiring drivers to demonstrate proficiency in English.
“No English, No trucking — it’s COMMON SENSE,” Duffy wrote in a statement on social media.
During the briefing, Mullin suggested that the Biden administration is actively harming Americans, saying, “You have a Biden administration that is failing the American people because they are allowing millions of people to come into this country illegally.”
Monday’s event centered on the federal government’s efforts to crack down on commercial driver’s licenses that officials say were improperly issued.
Federal rules require commercial drivers to be able to communicate in English, and the Trump administration has increased enforcement of those requirements. Officials have argued that drivers who cannot understand or communicate in English can pose a safety risk because they may be unable to respond appropriately to law enforcement officers, understand road signs, or communicate during inspections.
The administration has also criticized states that previously permitted commercial driver’s license applicants to take portions of their tests in languages other than English. Under the federal requirements, states are responsible for making sure commercial drivers meet the applicable English-language standards before receiving their licenses.
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The Department of Transportation has been conducting broader reviews of commercial driver’s licenses as part of the administration’s effort to tighten enforcement. Thousands of drivers have already been subjected to inspections, with hundreds reportedly being disqualified over English-language requirements.
Beyond criticizing Biden’s immigration policies, Trump officials have frequently scapegoated the previous president over the last year and a half for a host of problems that have sunk the current administration’s public polling.
In televised interviews and speeches, Trump and his surrogates have credited Biden with recent inflation and high gas prices, both of which were heavily impacted by Trump’s tariff wars and overseas military actions.
