Crenshaw Backs Trump’s Move to Deploy More Marines to Middle East

Texas Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw echoed his fellow Republicans’ stance on Sunday, emphasizing President Trump’s actions as essential amid escalating tensions with Iran in the Middle East. Pentagon plans for a deployment of several thousand more Marines were at the center of discussion during an interview on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.”

Crenshaw, who is also a former Navy SEAL and representative of Texas’s 2nd congressional district, highlighted President Trump’s move as necessary to support contingency operations that may be required. He declared, “It signals there’s a seriousness about supporting whatever needs to happen.” Crenshaw also underscored Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s statement that there would be no “stupid rules of engagement,” saying it was crucial military language for U.S. troops to adhere to.

Crenshaw commended Hegseth’s clear message, noting the administration had previously struggled with poorly worded and politically correct directives. He said, “There are very bad rules of engagement that say you can’t shoot unless you’re shot at first; [Hegseth is] making it very clear for our military.” While some anti-Muslim rhetoric has surfaced from other Republican lawmakers recently—such as Sen. Tommy Tuberville posting a photo with Mayor Zohran Mamdani alongside the 9/11 attack and Rep. Andy Ogles stating Muslims don’t belong in America—it wasn’t something Crenshaw found within his party.

“I mean, radical Islamism is bad,” Crenshaw asserted, calling it a well-known fact that should not be controversial. “There’s this ongoing Republican conflict over Israel and antisemitism issues, so one could argue that speaking out against [these] only inflames the situation,” he remarked. However, he maintained that his party’s position aligns with Trump’s stance: “We need to fund agencies like DHS, which is why we’re going after radical Islam.”

In a separate discussion, Crenshaw addressed the fallout from his recent loss in the Republican primary, attributing it largely to misinformation and online conspiracy theories. He explained, “I’m a unique Republican; I’ve been the target of online smears and conspiracies for a very long time. My election was basically a product of that.”

Crenshaw concluded by urging voters not to believe everything they read on social media or in their mail: “The lesson is that you’ve got to get the truth out. You have to try.” Ultimately, he acknowledged this as a question solely for the American people.