Harris Faulkner opens up on patriotism, parenthood, and the military father who shaped her strength

In a deeply personal interview, Faulkner reflected on her childhood, the influence of her late mother and veteran father, and how their values continue to guide every part of her life.

“The greatest civilian warrior I’ve ever known”

Growing up in a military household meant structure, but it also meant unshakable love. Faulkner’s father, Lt. Col. Bobby Harris, served two tours in Vietnam as a combat pilot. Her mother, she says, was just as strong.

“My father saluted my mother’s casket,” Faulkner recalled, “and he said, ‘I salute the greatest civilian warrior I’ve ever known.’”

It’s that strength, from both parents, that instilled the values Faulkner lives by: respect, leadership, fairness, and an unwavering sense of purpose. “Die trying to finish what you started,” she said, describing the mindset passed down to her from her dad.

Her powerful special, Vietnam: Footsteps of My Father, takes viewers on a rare journey through Vietnam alongside military historian Brian DeToy. From Red Beach in Da Nang to the rooftop where the last Americans were evacuated from Saigon, the experience was part history lesson, part tribute.

“You believe in what she’s fighting for”

While filming the special, Faulkner confronted not just the brutality of war, but the price of patriotism.

“I got down into one of the tunnels. I’m very claustrophobic,” she admitted. “And I realized there is a price to pay to fight.”

That reality deepened her gratitude for those who serve — and her commitment to telling the truth in her journalism. “You go in because you’ve been tasked as a soldier. There’s no political game. We owe them a huge debt.”

She even met former soldiers from both sides of the Vietnam War, now working together to treat those affected by Agent Orange. “Two mortal enemies,” she said, “now friends. That’s the power of time, grace, and purpose.”

Anchored by faith, driven by purpose

In between anchoring The Faulkner Focus and Outnumbered, and writing bestsellers, Faulkner still finds time to pray throughout her day.

“My divine assignment is to be a witness,” she said. “That also means I tell the truth even when it’s hard.”

Her 2022 book, Faith Still Moves Mountains, shares real-life miracle stories, including one about a woman who survived a deadly tornado by sheltering in her daily prayer closet. “You pray before the storm, during the storm, and after the storm,” Faulkner said.

And for the moms juggling everything, Harris has some advice.

“Listen to your children. Make eye contact. Let them finish their sentences before you fix anything,” she said. “The greatest gift we can give our children is sustainability.”

A legacy that lives on — and leads forward

For Faulkner, everything comes back to family. Her daughters, Bella and Danika, are now in high school. Her father’s memory lives on in a hand-carved wooden flag gifted to her after his passing. And her mother, who became a social worker and always sought peace in conflict, taught her the value of diplomacy that still shapes how Faulkner shows up

“Home should feel like the place where you come at the end of the day and feel seen,” she said.

Six-time Emmy winner. Groundbreaking anchor. Devoted mother. And always, the daughter of a soldier, still carrying the mission forward.