The worst episodes of Face the Nation
Ranked by viewer rating, lows first. Vote on a placement to back it or contest it.
- 01
11/5: Michael Herzog, Husam Zomlot, Rep. Jason Crow, Rep. Tony Gonzales, Oksana Markarova
Journalist Jonathan Finer; Michael Herzog, Israeli ambassador to the U.S.; Husam Zomlot, Palestinian ambassador to the United Kingdom; Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.); Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas); Oksana Markarova, Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S.
- 02
1/14: John Kirby, Sen. Joe Manchin
- 03
Former Vice President Mike Pence; Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.; Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., and Mike Gallagher, R-Wis.; UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
- 04
3/24: Sen. Raphael Warnock, Kevin McCarthy
Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.; former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. R-Calif.
- 05
5/12: Sec. Antony Blinken, Sen. Tom Cotton, Sen. Chris Van Hollen
Secretary of State Antony Blinken; Sens. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.
- 06
5/19: Sen. J.D. Vance, Sen. Gary Peters, Oksana Markarova, Robert Gates
Sens. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, and Gary Peters, D-Mich.; Oksana Markarova, Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S.; former Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
- 07
6/30: Sen. JD Vance, Gov. Wes Moore
Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio; Gov. Wes Moore, D-Md.
- 08
7/14: Sen. Tom Cotton, Rep. Dean Phillips, Rep. Ro Khanna
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.; Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif.
- 09
7/28: Sen. Chuck Schumer, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-N.M.
- 10
9/1: Gov. Maura Healey, Rep. Tony Gonzales, Sean O'Brien, Mitch Landrieu
Gov. Maura Healey, D-Mass.; Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas; Teamsters President Sean O'Brien; Mitch Landrieu, co-chair of Kamala Harris' presidential campaign.
- 11
9/8: Nikki Haley, Rep. Michael McCaul
Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley; Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas.
- 12
10/6: Sen. Mark Kelly, Sen. Thom Tillis, Rep. Mike Turner, Catherine Russell
Sens. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C.; Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio; Catherine Russell, UNICEF's executive director.
- 13
10/13: Rep. Mike Johnson, Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas, Rep. Maxwell Frost
House Speaker Mike Johnson, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla.
- 14
12/15: Rep. Mike Waltz, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Gary Cohn, Cindy McCain
Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., President-elect Donald Trump's pick for national security adviser; Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; Gary Cohn, vice chairman of IBM; Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova; Cindy McCain, executive director of the United Nations World Food Program.
- 15
2/16 - Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Rep. Dan Crenshaw, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Kevin Hassett
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, and Jamie Raskin, D-Md.; Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council.
- 16
4/20 - Lee Zeldin, Gov. Maura Healey, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, Austan Goolsbee
This week on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Lee Zeldin Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, Gov. Maura Healey (D) Massachusetts, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D) Maryland, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R) Pennsylvania, Austan Goolsbee President & CEO Chicago Federal Reserve Bank
- 17
6/8 - Kevin Hassett, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Tony Gonzales, Janti Soeripto
This week on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem joins as protesters and federal authorities clash in Southern California as the Trump administration ramps up nationwide roundups of those who could be in the country illegally. Plus, Save the Children CEO Janti Soeripto. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett; Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas.
- 18
This week on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Sen. Rand Paul joins to discuss a newly released Senate report that he authored about the Secret Service and the 2024 assassination attempt on President Trump. Sen. Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on the committee that oversees NOAA and NWS, joins. Rep. French Hill, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, told "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that he doesn't believe President Trump can fire Fed chair Jerome Powell as the White House looks into his authority to do so. Mr. Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration with Powell refusing to lower interest rates, although board members of independent federal agencies like the Federal Reserve can only be forced out before their terms expire "for cause." In a bipartisan "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" interview with Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal and GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, Blumenthal says, "what's most important at this time is our unity" as Graham says, "Congress is on the verge of passing the most consequential sanctions package in the history of the country," against Russia over the ongoing war in Ukraine.
- 19
3/22 - Amb. Mike Waltz, Sec. Mark Rutte, Rep. Jason Crow, Rafael Mariano Grossi
Iranian missiles hit southern Israel overnight near its main nuclear facility at Dimona, injuring at least 170 people according to the authorities and causing heavy destruction. Charlie D'Agata reports from the worst-hit town of Arad. President Trump has threatened to bomb Iran's nuclear plants and civilian energy infrastructure. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz told "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that all options remain possible, and he would "never take anything off the table for this president." After President Trump called NATO a "paper tiger without the U.S.," NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that the alliance has had "several conversations this week" with Mr. Trump and the "good news" is that 22 nations, including many in NATO, have since "come together." Rafael Grossi, the International Atomic Energy Agency director, told "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that he doesn't think "any war" would destroy Iran's nuclear ambitions "unless it was nuclear war, and you go for destruction in an unfathomable way, which we hope, of course, will never be the case." Americans voice a range of goals for the U.S. in Iran, including that it is important to stop Iran's nuclear program, make sure the Iranian people are safe and free -- but also, for most, to end the conflict as quickly as possible, CBS News director of elections and surveys Anthony Salvanto says. With at least four Americans believed to be detained in Iranian prisons, former detainees Siamak Namazi and Emad Shargi, who were held in Iran's notorious Evin prison, CBS News contributor and formerly the U.S. Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, and Shargi's sister Neda Sharghi joined "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" to discuss the situation.
- 20
11/26: Rep. Ken Buck, Sen. Michael Bennet, Cindy McCain
Rep. Ken Buck says elected officials who say 2020 election was stolen are "lying to America." Sen. Michael Bennet says Ukraine aid shouldn't require "negotiation onthe U.S. border." Gaza could possibly be "on the brink of famine," Cindy McCain says. Full interview: Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. UNRWA's Phillippe Lazzarini says Gaza humanitarian crisis has gotten "much worse." Israel has received names of next hostages set to be released from Gaza.
- 21
12/03: Dr. Scott Gottlieb, Govs. Jared Polis, Spencer Cox, John Kirby
Israel Defense Forces resume Gaza advance while Hamas still holds 130 hostages. Legacy of four who departed public service this week. Dr. Scott Gottlieb says likely a"typical winter pathogen season" ahead. Govs. Jared Polis, Spencer Cox say their goal is to get sides "to stop shouting" at each other. U.S. helping Israel be as "precise"in targeting Hamas, NSC spokesperson John Kirby says. U.S. assisting Israel to find intelligence "gaps" ahead of Oct. 7 attack. Rep. Mike Turner says."Anybody trying topredict" 2024 GOP race is "just shooting in the dark," Chris Christie says.
- 22
12/10: Sen. James Lankford, Shalanda Young,
Heavy bombardment overnight in Gaza amid discussions over postwar governing plans.Congress can't say "we're going to do nothing" on border, Sen. James Lankford says. White House OMB director Shalanda Young says "it's time to cut a deal" onnational security. Once-remote region of the U.S.-Mexico border has become one of the busiest. CBS News poll finds Americans feel inflation's impact on living standards,opportunities.
- 23
12/17: Rep. Tony Gonzales, Sen. Chris Coons
Rep. Tony Gonzales on potential border deal passing the House: "Have to sweeten the deal." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been a "difficult partner,"Sen. Chris Coons says. Israel agrees to allow U.N. trucks to drive directly into Gaza at Kerem Shalom Crossing. CBS News poll: Nikki Haley gains on Trump's lead in NewHampshire.
- 24
12/24: Jan Crawford, David Martin, Robert Costa, Catherine Herridge, Jeff Pegues
Amid a year full of tough stories, there were some bright spots. From women on the rise to inflation on the decline, CBS News' Mark Strassmann recaps the good news that happened in 2023 from politics, entertainment, the economy and more. CBS News' chief election and campaign correspondent Robert Costa, chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett, congressional correspondent Nikole Killion and senior White House and political correspondent Ed O'Keefe join "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan to discuss their predictions for 2024. Politics roundtable: Key issues to watch. Reporters roundtable: Most important stories of 2023.
- 25
12/31: Sen. Lindsey Graham, Mike Johnston, Brandon Johnson, David Becker
This week on "Face the Nation," Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Denver Mayor Mike Johnson discuss how immigration is affecting their cities. Plus, Sen. Lindsey Graham, David Becker, CBS News election law contributor joins Margaret Brennan.