Trump pick for US homeland security chief clears Senate panel vote

US senators have advanced President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security in a knife-edge committee vote Thursday, after a combative hearing exposed concerns about his temperament and policy agenda.

The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 8-7 to approve Senator Markwayne Mullin’s nomination to lead the powerful agency responsible for carrying out Trump’s high-profile immigration crackdown.

Republican leaders are eyeing a full Senate vote as early as next week, where he is expected to get an easier ride than he did in the committee.

The panel’s Republican chairman Rand Paul had opposed the nomination, citing what he described as Mullin’s “anger issues” and past inflammatory remarks. That left Mullin needing a Democrat to break ranks, and Pennsylvania centrist John Fetterman obliged.