The next 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 again to Face the Nation. You in a earlier life have been a Navy SEAL. So simply to faucet into your experience a bit bit right here, whenever you see that President Trump is deploying a number of thousand extra Marines in an expeditionary unit to hitch the 50,000 forces we have now there, what does that sign to you?
REP. DAN CRENSHAW: I feel it indicators that there is a seriousness of supporting no matter contingency operations could be wanted. I do not suppose it- Individuals ought to take that as a boots on the bottom deployment, particularly with solely 5,000 troops. These sort of items are- are, you know- they could possibly be for evacuating Americans out of Gulf allied international locations. They could possibly be for a variety of issues. So, I take it as a seriousness of committing to the scenario, which is strictly what is required. If you are going to do that, which we have now achieved, you could see it via. That is what I might be advising the president. I might be advising the president to take very critically the Straits of Hormuz. That is one thing we follow on a yearly foundation. For this reason he is requested allies to return to our help, to guard it, as a result of we follow this as an train yearly with 30 plus nations. So, I feel he is doing what’s wanted.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, Secretary Hegseth mentioned earlier this month, Operation Epic Fury would have, quote, no silly guidelines of engagement. Two days later, he mentioned, we’re punching them whereas they’re down, which is strictly the way it needs to be. This Friday, he mentioned, no quarter, no mercy for our enemies. You have served in uniform. Do you might have any concern that this type of language is sending the mistaken message to our troops who’re certain by requirements of proportionality or that it may backfire on our troops?
REP. CRENSHAW: No, when you fought in these wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, you would be properly acquainted with dangerous guidelines of engagement. You realize the type of factor that claims, look, you’ll be able to’t shoot until you are shot at. What he is saying is that we’re concentrating on Iranian navy with out quarter. That is what he is saying. He is making it very clear for our navy, which is, which is a readability that our navy has lacked in lots of of those conflicts previously.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So despite the fact that there aren’t any floor troops at this level, you suppose that this is–
REP. CRENSHAW: –I am unable to–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Are you able to hear me?
REP. CRENSHAW: I can.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, so you do not take that as sending the mistaken sign to our troops by any means or that it may inflame enemies who, if there are ever floor troops or a downed air pilot, for instance, that they might be mistreated?
REP. CRENSHAW: No, no, completely not. The foundations of engagement can be very clear and in place and in writing for our troops. He’s saying that to the American individuals, proper? So there’s, there’s- there’s navy language that our troops abide by, which can be very clear. I do not suppose it sends any mistaken message. I feel it is, I feel it sends precisely the precise message. Once more, it, my expertise within the navy. I do know what which means.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, the final time you have been with us, we spoke about- you felt the necessity for ethical readability. That was a phrase you used for some inside your personal get together, particularly round antisemitism on this nation. I need to learn for you a number of issues that some Republican lawmakers mentioned this week. Andy Ogles of Tennessee mentioned America is a product of English Christian tradition. Muslims do not belong in American society. Florida’s Randy High quality mentioned we want extra Islamophobia, not much less. Concern of Islam is rational. And Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama posted an image of the 9/11 assault subsequent to the New York Metropolis mayor at dinner breaking his quick at Ramadan with the phrase the enemy is contained in the gates. What do you consider this language, and will Republican leaders converse up about it?
REP. CRENSHAW: I nonetheless suppose it is pretty fringe. I imply, the reality of the matter is, radical Islamism is dangerous, proper? We have at all times identified that. That ought to not be- that shouldn’t be a controversial assertion in any respect. There are many peaceable Muslims–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –However that is not what they mentioned.–
REP. CRENSHAW: — who reside amongst us– I notice that. However, you already know, that is not a mainstream- that is not a mainstream narrative by any stretch. I feel attempting to combat it internally will most likely offers it extra, much more air than is important. We have seen that to be the case as you already know, there’s- there’s- there’s- there is a Republican battle ongoing proper now over Israel and the antisemitism points, and so, you already know, one may make the argument that talking out towards it has solely infected it. So, look, I nonetheless suppose that is very fringe. I do not suppose that’s- that is actually not the administration’s place. And like, we will go after radical Islam, that is why we have to fund companies like DHS, and that is what we will do.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You spoke about this tradition of misinformation we’re dwelling in, and also you pointed to that as one of many elements in your latest major loss. What lessons- classes ought to different Republicans take from that? What do you imply?
REP. CRENSHAW: Nicely, I imply, I am a novel Republican, you already know, I have been the goal of on-line smears and conspiracies for a really very long time. My election was mainly a product of that. You realize, to start with, you might have about 20% of Republican voters bothering to even vote at a major, after which you might have dozens of on-line smears and conspiracies that individuals have been going into the voting sales space really believing, I imply, believing that I used to be value millions- believing that was value thousands and thousands of {dollars} from insider buying and selling. Does not matter what number of instances we thought we had debunked that, or that- or that -or that different individuals and influencers and what haven’t have debunked it, all of this stuff, individuals nonetheless went in believing it. And so the lesson to be discovered is like, you have to get the reality out. You have to strive. However in the end, this can be a query for the American individuals. Are you going to consider every little thing you learn on-line or that is despatched to you in your mail? I imply, Democrats spent virtually one million {dollars} additionally pushing these smears on tv. So Republican voters are going to vote- the voting sales space believing what a Democrat informed them on TV based mostly on a smear headline written by a liberal reporter in DC. So that is the lesson, and it isn’t only for Republican politicians. It is the lesson for Republican voters.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Misinformation. Congressman, we recognize your time right now. We’ll be proper again.
