The following is the transcript of the interview with Rep. Dan Crenshaw, Republican of Texas, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on March 15, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to Texas Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw, who joins us from Houston. Welcome back to Face the Nation. You in a previous life were a Navy SEAL. So just to tap into your expertise a little bit here, when you see that President Trump is deploying a few thousand more Marines in an expeditionary unit to join the 50,000 forces we have there, what does that signal to you?
REP. DAN CRENSHAW: I think it signals that there’s a seriousness of supporting whatever contingency operations might be needed. I don’t think it- People should take that as a boots on the ground deployment, especially with only 5,000 troops. These type of units are- are, you know- they could be for evacuating American citizens out of Gulf allied countries. They could be for a number of things. So, I take it as a seriousness of committing to the situation, which is exactly what is needed. If you’re going to do this, which we have done, you need to see it through. That’s what I would be advising the president. I’d be advising the president to take very seriously the Straits of Hormuz. This is something we practice on a yearly basis. This is why he’s asked allies to come to our aid, to protect it, because we practice this as an exercise yearly with 30 plus nations. So, I think he’s doing what’s needed.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, Secretary Hegseth said earlier this month, Operation Epic Fury would have, quote, no stupid rules of engagement. Two days later, he said, we are punching them while they’re down, which is exactly how it should be. This Friday, he said, no quarter, no mercy for our enemies. You’ve served in uniform. Do you have any concern that this kind of language is sending the wrong message to our troops who are bound by standards of proportionality or that it could backfire on our troops?
REP. CRENSHAW: No, if you fought in these wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, you’d be well acquainted with bad rules of engagement. You know the kind of thing that says, look, you can’t shoot unless you’re shot at. What he’s saying is that we are targeting Iranian military without quarter. That’s what he’s saying. He’s making it very clear for our military, which is, which is a clarity that our military has lacked in many of these conflicts in the past.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So even though there are no ground troops at this point, you think that this is–
REP. CRENSHAW: –I can’t–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Can you hear me?
REP. CRENSHAW: I can.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, so you don’t take that as sending the wrong signal to our troops whatsoever or that it could inflame enemies who, if there are ever ground troops or a downed air pilot, for example, that they would be mistreated?
REP. CRENSHAW: No, no, absolutely not. The rules of engagement will be very clear and in place and in writing for our troops. He is saying that to the American people, right? So there’s, there’s- there’s military language that our troops abide by, which will be very clear. I don’t think it sends any wrong message. I think it’s, I think it sends exactly the right message. Again, it, my experience in the military. I know what that means.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, the last time you were with us, we spoke about- you felt the need for moral clarity. That was a phrase you used for some within your own party, specifically around antisemitism in this country. I want to read for you a few things that some Republican lawmakers said this week. Andy Ogles of Tennessee said America is a product of English Christian culture. Muslims don’t belong in American society. Florida’s Randy Fine said we need more Islamophobia, not less. Fear of Islam is rational. And Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama posted a picture of the 9/11 attack next to the New York City mayor at dinner breaking his fast at Ramadan with the phrase the enemy is inside the gates. What do you think of this language, and should Republican leaders speak up about it?
REP. CRENSHAW: I still think it’s fairly fringe. I mean, the truth of the matter is, radical Islamism is bad, right? We’ve always known that. That should not be- that should not be a controversial statement at all. There are plenty of peaceful Muslims–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –But that’s not what they said.–
REP. CRENSHAW: — who live among us– I realize that. But, you know, that’s not a mainstream- that’s not a mainstream narrative by any stretch. I think trying to fight it internally will probably gives it more, a lot more air than is necessary. We’ve seen that to be the case as you know, there’s- there’s- there’s- there’s a Republican conflict ongoing right now over Israel and the antisemitism issues, and so, you know, one could make the argument that speaking out against it has only inflamed it. So, look, I still think that’s very fringe. I don’t think that’s- that’s certainly not the administration’s position. And like, we’re going to go after radical Islam, that’s why we need to fund agencies like DHS, and that’s what we’re going to do.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You spoke about this culture of misinformation we’re living in, and you pointed to that as one of the factors in your recent primary loss. What lessons- lessons should other Republicans take from that? What do you mean?
REP. CRENSHAW: Well, I mean, I’m a unique Republican, you know, I’ve been the target of online smears and conspiracies for a very long time. My election was basically a product of that. You know, first of all, you have about 20% of Republican voters bothering to even vote at a primary, and then you have dozens of online smears and conspiracies that people were going into the voting booth actually believing, I mean, believing that I was worth millions- believing that was worth millions of dollars from insider trading. Doesn’t matter how many times we thought we had debunked that, or that- or that -or that other people and influencers and what have not have debunked it, all of these things, people still went in believing it. And so the lesson to be learned is like, you’ve got to get the truth out. You’ve got to try. But ultimately, this is a question for the American people. Are you going to believe everything you read online or that’s sent to you in your mail? I mean, Democrats spent almost a million dollars also pushing these smears on television. So Republican voters are going to vote- the voting booth believing what a Democrat told them on TV based on a smear headline written by a liberal reporter in DC. So that’s the lesson, and it’s not just for Republican politicians. It’s the lesson for Republican voters.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Misinformation. Congressman, we appreciate your time today. We’ll be right back.
