Rep. Steve Cohen on Friday walked back his comment Thursday that embattled FBI agent Peter Strzok deserved a Purple Heart for his testimony at a raucous congressional hearing Thursday on alleged bias at the agency and the Justice Department.
"I regret using the term 'Purple Heart,'" the Tennessee Democrat told Ana Cabrera on CNN. "I used it metaphorically, not literally.
"I never thought, literally, it should be given to Agent Strzok," he said.
Strzok faced nearly 10 hours of testimony before the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees on Thursday, including heated Republican questioning over text messages he exchanged with former FBI lawyer Lisa Page in 2016 that were considered biased against Republican candidate Donald Trump.
During the session, Cohen told a combative Strzok: "If I could give you a Purple Heart, I would.
"You deserve one."
The Purple Heart is given to U.S. service members who are wounded or are killed during combat.
Republicans quickly bashed Cohen for the remark.
Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina, who chairs the conservative House Freedom Caucus, took to Twitter and slammed the comment as "an insult to the honor, valor, and service of men and women who truly earned its recognition."
California Rep. Darrell Issa retweeted Meadows' post, adding: "Could not agree more."
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.