Reporter's Attempt to Get Medal of Honor Recipients to Bash America Doesn't Go According to Plan

My irrepressible RedState colleague, Ward Clark, put it so well in a morning VIP column he wrote about remembering the fallen on Memorial Day.

"Many of them were heartbreakingly young. Many of them had families who got left behind," he wrote of the men and women in the U.S. military who made the ultimate sacrifice. "But every one of them knew the risks, every one of them took the oath, and our nation is richer that such people once walked among us."

Ahead of Memorial Day, it is fairly common for news outlets to bring on either family members of the fallen or veterans who are still with us to talk about what the day means to them. CBS News was one such place that did that over the weekend, with two Medal of Honor recipients appearing on Face the Nation on Sunday.

Buzz Cut: Memorial Day Thoughts From One Who Lived

Lt. Col. William D. Swenson, a Seattle native, and Command Sergeant Major Matthew Williams, a Texas native, were each presented with the Medal of Honor for extraordinarily heroic actions taken to save lives in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. Swenson's was presented by then-President Barack Obama in October 2013, and Williams' was presented by President Donald Trump in October 2019 during his first term.

Excerpting their stories would do both men a great disservice, so please take a moment to read more about Swenson's actions here and Williams' here.

The interview they did with partisan CBS News anchor Margaret Brennan was mostly well-rounded until the end, when she seemed to be trying to get them to bash America. But the two Medal of Honor recipients, who are now retired, did not take the bait and instead gave great answers in response:

MARGARET BRENNAN: And before I let you go, we are coming up on this 250th anniversary of the American experience. I know I can't ask you a question like, are you optimistic? There's no way that two Medal of Honor winners could say they're not optimistic. So what specifically makes you optimistic? Because this country, at times, can feel dark, these days, there's a lot of darkness. What makes you feel optimistic?
WILL SWENSON: Well, ultimately, because we're in Washington, D.C., and everything revolves around politics, we have to remember that politics aren't everything. American lives continue on. Children are born, children go to school. Lives are achieved. Dreams are achieved. This country is a great place. It's not politics. It's not just what's the news bites coming off of media. Ultimately, we continue forward as a country, continually imperfect, continually evolving forward, always trying to achieve a more perfect union. That's what's important to remember, what we can achieve aspirationally. No other place in history, time or on this planet have ever gotten to where we are today. We need to be proud of that, and we need to remember that is what we stay focused on, what we can be.

She then addressed Williams:

MARGARET BRENNAN: What we can be, and the promise of it. What makes you optimistic?
MATT WILLIAMS: You know, I agree with Will. I think, you know, it's- it's so important to remember who we are as a country, and take an opportunity to celebrate that, and think about all the- the challenges that we've overcome, how far we've actually come. You know, I think if you- if you frame it that way, you think very deeply about our trials and tribulations from beginning to today, we've made tremendous strides. Our country is, you know, we're a super- global superpower. Our economy is doing well. All those things are great. And- and take politics aside out of this whole conversation. Just talk about our communities, that- that we live in, and the people that you surround yourself with, and your families, and the opportunity to be free and, you know, choose what school you go to, and where you want to live and do what you want to do, and what career path you go down or don't if you want to, you know, I mean, there's so much to be positive about. And I think the opportunity to celebrate America's 250th birthday, you know, over the course of this next year is- is amazing. There's so many great places to visit. You know, the National Mall is going to be full of Americana. And what we're going to- celebrating ourselves, which I think we should take the time to do. I think it's very important.
You know, across the country, you know something we're very passionate about at the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas, is a phenomenal beacon that stands to talk about and house our, not only our story, the story of the Medal, and what the Medal represents itself. And I would challenge people to go there and celebrate our history as well. You know, it's so important. There's so many great things to go do and great things to visit and don't just take part in it, because it's something to do on a weekend, right? Think about why you're doing it, and when you're there in the crowds and you're- you're enjoying yourself, and you're taking your family to go talk about our country and celebrate our country, actually celebrate it. Be grateful for what you've got and the opportunity that was provided for you. If you do that, I don't see how you can't be optimistic about our future.

Watch:

WATCH: CBS's Margaret Brennan tries to goad two Medal of Honor recipients into bashing America, gets rebuffed

MARGARET BRENNAN: And before I let you go, we are coming up on this 250th anniversary of the American experience. I know I can't ask you a question like, are you… pic.twitter.com/X24S8YWmmc
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) May 24, 2026

Well done, gents.

Editor's Note: President Trump is leading America into the "Golden Age" as Democrats and their mainstream media allies try desperately to stop it.

Help us continue to report on President Trump's successes. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.