President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet picks reflect his "intensity to make sure that he gets his promises done," including his appointments and nominations that are drawing the most scrutiny, Rep. Ryan Zinke, who served as Trump's secretary of the interior, told Newsmax Sunday.
"He promised to be disruptive," the Montana Republican said on Newsmax's "Sunday Agenda." "He promised to put talent in place. He promised to make us energy-independent and energy-dominant again."
Trump's nomination of former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., for attorney general is likely the most controversial because he is a "living image of disruption," Zinke added.
But the Department of Justice is at the center of most people's concerns about the government, he added.
Zinke, though, insisted that it will not be easy to get a recess appointment to enable Gaetz to move forward as attorney general, as many steps must be taken.
"But no doubt, I think the other appointments are going to go through," he said.
He added that if he was in the Senate and could vote for confirmations, he'd vote for Gaetz, because he thinks "the president deserves his picks" but "it's not going to be an easy process though, especially with that candidate."
But Gaetz will "be fun to watch," said Zinke. "I can't wait. He is a living, breathing disrupter."
Zinke Sunday also slammed accusations from Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz about former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick for national intelligence director.
Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., accused Gabbard of several actions, particularly as being someone who is "likely a Russian asset."
"I've served with Tulsi. I can tell you she is not a Russian asset," said Zinke. "She's a colonel, but she's active in the military. I mean, how do you say that about somebody? And she used to be a Democrat herself."
Gabbard, with her military background and service in Congress, is "the real deal," he added.
He also spoke out in favor of Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick for defense secretary.
"He is not going to go in alone. He's going to go in with a set of pipe hitters on, on, on his deputies to get things done, and the military needs to change, too," Zinke said.
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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