Ryan Zinke

Ryan Zinke is a Republican politician and retired U.S. Navy SEAL commander currently serving as the U.S. Representative for Montana's 1st Congressional District. Born in Bozeman and raised in Whitefish, Montana, Zinke attended the University of Oregon on a football scholarship, earning a B.S. in Geology in 1984. He later obtained a Master of Business Finance from National University and a Master of Science in Global Leadership from the University of San Diego. Zinke served as a Navy SEAL from 1985 to 2008, where he earned two Bronze Stars for his service in Iraq and eventually reached the rank of Commander. Zinke began his political career in the Montana State Senate, serving from 2009 to 2013. He was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014 to represent Montana's at-large district, becoming the first Navy SEAL to serve in the chamber. In 2017, he resigned his seat to serve as the 52nd U.S. Secretary of the Interior under President Donald Trump. After leaving the Cabinet in 2019, he returned to the House in 2023 following his election to Montana’s newly created 1st District. He currently sits on the House Committee on Appropriations and has been a prominent figure in debates regarding federal land management and national energy policy.

Zinke’s policy positions reflect a focus on national security, energy independence, and conservative fiscal management. He is a strong advocate for 'American energy dominance,' supporting expanded oil, gas, and mineral exploration on federal lands while maintaining a stated commitment to public access for hunting and fishing. As Secretary of the Interior, he oversaw the reduction in size of several national monuments, including Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante. On the economy, Zinke supports reducing federal spending, lowering taxes, and cutting regulations he characterizes as burdensome to industry. Regarding immigration, he emphasizes strict border security measures and has called for using congressional funding power to mandate changes in border policy. In healthcare, he has consistently opposed the Affordable Care Act and supported legislation aimed at increasing price transparency for patients. Additionally, he supports devolving education authority from the federal government to the states.