Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is altering its seal to reflect a department that is "at war every single day." The change symbolizes a shift in focus from peace to conflict, with the eagle on the seal now facing toward the arrows it holds, rather than the palm leaf.
Mullin explained on "The Sunday Briefing" that the direction the eagle faces carries significant meaning: facing the palm represents peace, while facing the arrows signifies being at war. This symbolic adjustment comes as the department confronts an increasingly complex and fluid threat environment. "We're actually changing our seal to make it look towards the arrows, because when it looks towards the arrows is when it means we're at war," Mullin stated.
The secretary highlighted that terrorism remains a primary concern, but its nature has evolved. "It's still terrorists, but the terrorists have joined with the cartels," he said, citing the significant death toll from fentanyl overdoses. Mullin also noted the growing threat of drone attacks, emphasizing that simple consumer drones purchased online now pose a risk. "We have tried to protect our sensitive areas with fences and armed security guards. Now we're having to realize that the threat comes from the air, too, with simple drones that people can buy online on Amazon."
The threats to the homeland are multifaceted, encompassing not only physical and aerial dangers but also cyberattacks. Mullin identified state-sponsored actors from Iran, North Korea, China, and Russia as primary sources of weekly cyber threats numbering in the hundreds of thousands. He stressed the need for the department to remain agile and adaptable.
"Every single day, I get a briefing. Every single day we have new threats, and every single day the threats are changing," Mullin said. "Every time we stop a threat, a terrorist act or a criminal activity that's taking place, they also change their tactics. We have to be constantly moving from cyber to sea to air and to land."
Mullin also addressed the risks faced by those in the public eye, particularly political candidates, stating, "I would say you're never safe when you're [in the] public eye." He called for reasoned discourse, emphasizing that while differing opinions are acceptable in a republic, resorting to violence to silence opposition is unacceptable and will be met by Homeland Security's efforts.
The DHS seal originally features an eagle with a shield on its breast, divided into sections representing air, land, and sea. The top section contains 22 stars, symbolizing the original entities that formed the department. The shift in the eagle's gaze is intended to communicate the department's constant vigilance and active engagement against a wide array of national security threats.