Grilling President Donald Trump’s newest Cabinet pick may seem like an inauspicious way for a Republican to begin a national campaign, but Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) increasingly sounds like someone with his eyes on 2028.

Paul would likely have had strong words for Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) regardless. Mullin suggested he understood why Paul’s neighbor physically assaulted him, not exactly a collegial stance to take toward a fellow Republican senator. Then the Oklahoman found himself testifying in front of a committee Paul chairs, trying to win confirmation for a new job.