Matt Gaetz received an unexpected boost for his upcoming Senate confirmation on Tuesday when an unlikely Republican publicly defended him against allegations of sexual misconduct.

Since President-elect Donald Trump tapped Gaetz, a millennial firebrand and longtime ally, to serve as U.S. Attorney General, Republican senators have been largely hesitant to defend the controversial pick. Some have argued that a prolonged fight over Gaetz’s nomination could damage the party.

However, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) countered this narrative during an interview on CNBC, telling host Joe Kernan that Trump “wants a hammer” at the Justice Department, adding, “That’s what the American people, by extension, want as well.”

“I think the president wants a hammer at the DOJ and he sees Matt Gaetz as a hammer and all these other appointments, he’s very confident at where they’re at and can deliver the administration that he’s wanting,” Mullin said.

“His picks have been maybe unconventional, but we hired an unconventional president and the American people wanted that. They don’t want politics as usual. They want someone who’s going to shake up Washington, D.C.,” he said.

After years of corruption under the Biden-Harris administration, he added, “the American people wanted” the system to be “shook up.”

“The president is maybe using some picks for these positions that’s not conventional but it’s what the American people wanted,” Mullin added.

WATCH:

President Trump "wants a hammer at the DOJ — and he sees @mattgaetz as a hammer," says Senator @MarkwayneMullin.

"His picks have been maybe 'unconventional,' but we hired an unconventional president. The American people *wanted* that." pic.twitter.com/EU84ehhDug

— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) November 19, 2024

Mullin, 47, is a newcomer to the upper chamber, having succeeded longtime Senator James Inhofe in 2023. Representing a solidly Republican state, the junior senator has little political risk in supporting Trump’s nominees, who are highly popular among the MAGA base.

His supportive comments come as welcome news for Matt Gaetz, who faces persistent allegations of misconduct and has a history of public clashes with Mullin.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has pledged to withhold an anticipated Ethics Committee report during Gaetz’s nomination process. Gaetz, who has denied the allegations, has pointed out that the Biden Justice Department investigated him and chose not to press charges because investigators did not find the so-called ‘witnesses’ credible.

Gaetz has already resigned his seat in Congress to focus on what is expected to be a challenging Senate confirmation process.