Ryan Zinke (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing Montana's 1st Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Zinke (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Montana's 1st Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Zinke originally filed to run in Montana's 2nd Congressional District, but due to redistricting, Zinke filed to run in Montana's 1st Congressional District.
Zinke served as the 52nd U.S. secretary of the interior. He was a member of President Donald Trump's (R) administration.
Trump chose Zinke for the position on December 13, 2016. The Senate confirmed Zinke on March 1, 2017, by a vote of 68-31, and he was sworn in on the same day.
On December 15, 2018, Zinke announced that he would leave the Trump administration. He formally left his position on January 2, 2019.
In a tweet, Trump said, "Ryan has accomplished much during his tenure and I want to thank him for his service to our Nation."
Zinke wrote in a tweet, "I love working for the President and am incredibly proud of all the good work we’ve accomplished together. However, after 30 years of public service, I cannot justify spending thousands of dollars defending myself and my family against false allegations."
The secretary of the Interior is responsible for overseeing the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), which "conserves and manages the Nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people, provides scientific and other information about natural resources and natural hazards to address societal challenges and create opportunities for the American people, and honors the Nation’s trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated island communities to help them prosper."
Zinke is a former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Montana's At-Large Congressional District from 2015 to 2017. Zinke was first elected to the House in 2014. He is also a former Republican member of the Montana State Senate, representing District 2 from 2009 to 2013.
Zinke was previously a candidate for lieutenant governor of Montana in the 2012 election, but he and his running mate, Neil Livingstone, finished fifth in the primary election on June 5, 2012.
Ryan Zinke was born in Bozeman, Montana. Zinke graduated from Whitefish High School in 1980. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1985 to 2008. He earned a B.S. in geology from the University of Oregon in 1984, an M.B.A. in business finance from the National University in 1991, and an M.S. in global leadership from the University of San Diego in 2003.
Zinke's career experience includes working as a ground force commander with Joint Special Operations Command, a commander in a Joint Task Force in Bosnia and Kosovo, an executive officer at a SEAL Training Center, a deputy commander of CJSOTF-AP Special Forces in Iraq, the president and CEO of CDI, the executive director of the Center for Remote Integration, and the CEO of On Point Montana. He served as the president of Great Northern Peace Park Foundation.
