In a Thursday interview, Teamsters President Sean O’Brien expressed his willingness to meet with Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) and hoped for a civil encounter. However, O’Brien humorously mentioned that he would likely wear his football equipment as a precaution. He stated, “I have no problem sitting down with anybody. I would have no problem sitting down with Senator Mullin. I will wear my football equipment because I don’t want to get bit, shot — or caned, for that matter. So I will have to protect myself,” emphasizing their shared history of playing football.
The remarks from O’Brien followed a recent escalation in the feud between him and the Oklahoma senator. Mullin had challenged O’Brien during a hearing, prompting the Teamsters President’s defensive stance. When pressed by Fox News’s Neil Cavuto to acknowledge any responsibility for the escalation, O’Brien stated, “Well, look, first off, I mean, that’s a setting that that should never occur.”
Cavuto questioned O’Brien about whether he would have engaged with Mullin if other lawmakers hadn’t intervened. O’Brien responded, “If he jumped over the dais and put myself or anybody that was with me at risk, obviously, we do have a right to defend ourselves,” clarifying that such a defensive stance is not the objective moving forward.
While O’Brien mentioned that he has not communicated with Mullin and there are no planned coffee meetings, he expressed his willingness to sit down with anyone despite the heated rhetoric. He remarked, “Obviously, he has some issues that he probably should be dealing with. But my issue is dealing with, you know, how we improve America, how we work together. And how we move forward from our differences.”
In response, Mullin’s office signaled the senator’s openness to a meeting, stating, “Our favorite keyboard warrior can Google our office address anytime, anyplace.”
