Exclusive — Lee Zeldin: JD Vance Is an ‘America First Messenger’

Former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., speaks at a rally with Republican presidential candidate f
Matt Rourke/AP

JD Vance is an “America first messenger,” former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) said during a sit-down interview with Breitbart News Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday.

Zeldin reacted to Trump’s historic VP pick, heaping praise on the freshman United States senator, describing him as an “America first messenger.”

“He is really underrated, and in some cases he was unknown about his ability to communicate. Smart. He is someone who’s principled, [a] former Marine, entrepreneur and grew up poor, fought hard to get out of that poverty, but he never forgot where he came from. [He] never forgot about that fight in life to be able to emerge at this point,” he said, expressing confidence that Vance will not “wake up today with a bigger head or his feet not firmly planted on the ground.”

Zeldin said he is “looking forward to seeing him sworn in as the next vice president,” praising his ability to articulate his ideas, even to hostile parties.

“I remember catching an interview that he had done with a network that one might consider hostile, with an anchor that one might consider unfriendly, asking tough questions. JD pushed back. The anchor pushed back. JD pushed back. He stands his ground, but he does it in a likable way,” he continued.

“It doesn’t come across like he’s angry, he’s shook, he doesn’t know what his next words might be, that he’s spinning. He is trying to substantively engage in good faith, in the most honest answer he can think of that is solution-oriented, to not just answer that question, but to move this country forward,” he added.

WATCH the entire interview below:

Authored by Hannah Knudsen via Breitbart July 16th 2024