Rep. Ryan Zinke endorses former boss Trump

Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), former Interior Secretary in the Trump administration, announced Tuesday that he would be endorsing the former president. 

Zinke served in former President Trump’s Cabinet for about two years before announcing his resignation in 2018 amid numerous ethics investigations. He was sworn into Congress last year, and previously was a member of the House of Representatives before joining Trump’s administration. 

“There is no doubt that President Trump is our nation’s best hope to restore our global leadership, secure our borders, and improve the quality of life of every American,” Zinke said in a statement.

“His proven track record of peace in the Middle East, energy independence, and putting America First are unparalleled. I look forward to working hard everyday to defeat Biden and the liberal radicals who empower him to weaken America,” he continued. 

The Interior Department’s inspector general (IG) released a report last year that found Zinke “failed to abide by his ethics obligations” and “misused his public office for private gain” during his time as Interior Secretary. At the time, his campaign said the report was a “political hit job.”

He also denied that Trump asked him to resign when he stepped down from his role. During January’s Speakership election, Zinke took a jab at the former president, saying that Trump’s influence on the Republican Party was “absolutely” waning after his endorsement of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) did not yield any additional votes for him.