From PBS NewsHour.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., President Donald Trump’s new pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, suggested in a confirmation hearing Wednesday that he regretted calling a Minnesota protester who was killed by government agents “a deranged individual.”

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., asked Mullin if he would make those kinds of “quick responses” as DHS secretary.

“I shouldn’t have said that, and as secretary, I wouldn’t,” Mullin said.

“There’s some times I’m going to make a mistake and I’ll own it. That one went out there too fast. I was responding immediately without facts. That’s my fault. That won’t happen as secretary,” he added.

After Minnesota nurse Alex Pretti was killed by federal immigration agents in Minnesota in January, Mullin said on Fox News he was “a deranged individual who came in to cause massive damage.” An investigation into Pretti’s death is ongoing.

On Wednesday, Mullin did not apologize to Pretti’s family, saying he would apologize if he’s “proven wrong” by the investigation.

Trump tapped Mullin to take over the embattled agency from Kristi Noem, who was fired earlier this month after her leadership came under bipartisan scrutiny during tense congressional hearings.

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