Exclusive–Rep. Zinke: Trump Makes America Safe Again; Navy SEAL to Address Convention on NatSec

The Montana congressman who served in Navy SEAL Team 6 told Breitbart News he is thrilled about Donald J. Trump’s strong relationship with House Republicans, Trump’s prospects in November, and about his own address at the Republican Convention Monday.

“On the House side, when Donald Trump came, he received multiple standing ovations,” said Rep. Ryan Zinke (R.-Mont.). The interview took place in the congressman’s Cannon Building office, an office appointed with mementos from overseas deployments, a collection of SEAL issued knives, a piece of a door from one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces and a picture of Teddy Roosevelt.

“It was a unifying meeting–from what I understand, a little different than with the Senate,” he said. There were media reports that when Trump met with Republican senators cross and direct words were exchanged.

“He was humble. He was on point. He often referred to detailed policies, working with Congress and certainly pointed out that we are on the same side on the major movements on what we believe is a better path forward,” Zinke said. “And he took questions–unfiltered, he was cordial and very personable and after the meeting broke up he stayed and did selfies with kids.”

The retired Navy commander was given a Monday speaking slot at the Republican National Convention because that night’s theme is National Security. Other speakers that night will be House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael T. McCaul (R.-Texas), Sen. Thomas B. Cotton (R.-Ark.) and retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.

“One of our pillars has to be national security–our nation’s security both domestically and abroad,” he said. “I’m going to talk specifically about our troops, our need to engage terrorism with resolve and make sure we have a president who supports our troops and not abandoned them in such places as Benghazi and to a degree in Iraq — and I think the largest threat we face is still Iran.”

The congressman said Iran has not changed and he will make the case that America must have a president who supports Israel and her allies, rather than funding Iran, so they can build missiles to destroy the United States and our allies.

At the convention, which starts Monday in Cleveland, Zinke said he will be hanging out with members of the Montana delegation as an alternate, having given up his delegate slot to allow someone else to attend and participate. “A lot of time is going to be consumed with rehearsal with the speech and then media row–and then, my wife.”

Mrs. Lola Zinke, who  is best known for her Spanish greeting to Pope Francis to Washington in September, is also a surrogate for Trump.

“My wife, she was an early-adopter to Trump and a supporter of Trump–earlier than me, by far,” he said.

“She saw what I see every day here: The status quo is not working.”