Daniel Reed Crenshaw[1] (born March 14, 1984)[2] is an American politician and former United States Navy SEAL officer serving as the U.S. representative for Texas's 2nd congressional district since 2019.

Crenshaw was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy, and served on SEAL Team 3 in the War in Afghanistan, reaching the rank of lieutenant commander.

[8] After high school, Crenshaw returned to the United States and attended Tufts University, graduating in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in international relations and a minor in physics.

[30] Gaining the endorsement of Senator Tom Cotton, Crenshaw received national attention, appearing in print and television, including on Laura Ingraham's show on Fox Business.

[36] On the November 3 episode of Saturday Night Live, comedian Pete Davidson joked about the appearances of multiple candidates in the 2018 midterm elections and described Crenshaw as looking like a "hit man in a porno movie" while adding that he lost his eye in "war or whatever".

[52] Crenshaw is publicly critical of the Freedom Caucus, whom he regards as divisive "performance artists" for constantly attacking moderate Republicans.

[60] He has said that "life starts at conception", that he believes Roe v. Wade was a "bad precedent to set", and that abortion rights "should be decided by the states".

[59] When the Supreme Court decision Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization overturned Roe, Crenshaw released the statement: "Historic.

[62][63] In response to the shootings in Dayton and El Paso, he suggested exploring red flag laws as a possible solution to gun violence.

"[65] Crenshaw has also said that raising the legal age to purchase a firearm to 21 is ineffective but supports expanding background checks to include juvenile criminal history.

He did not wear face masks consistently in settings advised by health experts and mandated by Governor Greg Abbott.

[75] During his 2018 campaign, he advocated allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, becoming one of a handful of Republicans to endorse what was primarily a progressive idea.

[76] On May 24, 2019, Crenshaw co-sponsored a bill to extend time limits for claims under the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act.

[77][78][79] Crenshaw has introduced legislation to fund research into the use of psychedelic therapy as a treatment option for military members suffering from PTSD and traumatic brain injuries.

[94] The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state.

[105] After Liz Cheney was censured for voting to impeach Trump, Crenshaw asserted in an interview that the Republican Party needed "to move on" from claims the 2020 election was stolen, but also accused the media of continuing to weaponize the issue, arguing both were ignoring larger issues such as the economy, the COVID pandemic and illegal immigration.

[53] In 2022, on his podcast Hold These Truths, Crenshaw criticized Republicans who contested the results of the 2020 presidential election, saying of their efforts, "It was always a lie.

He also said the bill would use taxpayer money to "legalize" the kind of electoral fraud that he alleges occurred on the Republican side in the 2018 election for North Carolina's District 9.

[108][109] Crenshaw argued that the bill did not include a federal ban on ballot harvesting, and supported the American Civil Liberties Union's opposition to it over new campaign contribution revisions.

[108] During Crenshaw's 2018 campaign, his website made brief mention of global warming, applauding Trump for withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accords.

Regardless, we should continue pursuing new green energy solutions that lessen our impact on the environment and create cleaner air and water.

"[115] In 2021, Crenshaw accused the Biden administration of provoking a crisis on the southern border by having a moratorium on deportations and reversing Trump's policies on asylum and illegal immigration.

[116] He has also argued that Mexican drug cartels have fueled illegal immigration by taking advantage of the U.S. asylum process to smuggle people into the country.

[117] Crenshaw supports enforcing physical barriers and implementing technology at the southern border to prevent illegal immigration.

[129] He called Senator Tammy Duckworth unpatriotic for wanting a discussion on which statues to remove, including those of George Washington.

[134][135] In 2019, Crenshaw co-sponsored a resolution opposing Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, saying that it would embolden the Turkish military's assault on the Kurdish forces.

[137][138] In April 2020, Crenshaw and Senator Tom Cotton introduced a bill that would allow civil suits against foreign states in incidents related to injury or death.

The legislation came in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and calls for the Chinese government to be held accountable for "allow[ing] this virus to spread".

"[153] In 2020, Fortune magazine included Crenshaw in its 40 Under 40 in the "Government and Politics" category, writing that he "wears his service to his country on his face.