Donald Trump's "America First" platform of trade protectionism, immigration control, and foreign policy non-intervention was the centerpiece of his campaign.  He needs his secretary of state to help implement these policies through diplomacy, negotiating trade agreements, setting refugee admissions, and ensuring that foreign nations accept the criminal aliens we deport.  This requires a seasoned foreign policy expert whom Trump can trust to stand up to both foreign leaders and domestic critics in both political parties.

Of all the candidates under consideration, congressman and former Reagan administration official Dana Rohrabacher is a perfect fit.  Rohrabacher is one of the few politicians who truly understands Washington, without being corrupted by it.  He has served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee for nearly 25 years.  I had the privilege of serving with him on this committee and can personally attest that he was one of the most knowledgeable members on foreign affairs.  Even left-wing blogs like the Daily Kos acknowledge that he "knows more about Syria than the State Department."  He is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats and previously chaired the Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee, which was responsible for supervising the State Department.  His foreign policy experience extends all the way back to the Reagan administration, where he helped craft the Reagan Doctrine, which many credit with helping end the Cold War.

Rohrabacher also shares Trump's America First philosophy.  He has introduced legislation to prioritize Christian refugees and spoken out against the Islamization of Europe, calling the current refugee crisis "the destruction of Western civilization."  He has taken a strong stance against Chinese currency manipulation.  Like Trump, he realizes the War in Iraq was a mistake and opposes intervention in Syria.  He believes that "a decade of nation building has not worked" in the Middle East.

Rohrabacher's critics don't like his views on Russia.  Politico just ran hit piece entitled "Putin's favorite congressman."  Of course, the neoconservatives, Democrats, and the media also called Trump a Putin stooge.  Like Trump, Rohrabacher believes that China is a greater geopolitical rival and radical Islam is a greater threat to the U.S. than Russia.  He wants to work with Russia toward common goals when our interests align.  Regardless of whether you agree with him, this is exactly what Donald Trump campaigned on, so it's unreasonable to oppose Rohrabacher for supporting the president-elect's stated policies.

Rohrabacher has already stood up to anti-Trump hysteria, calling Republican leaders who abandoned Trump during his controversies "gutless" and "cowardly."  This does not mean he will be a yes-man.  Anyone who has worked with him knows he can't be pushed around.  When he believes that Trump is going down the wrong path, he will speak out and stand his ground.  However, he will do this based only on what he thinks is right, not because of negative political or media attention, and not because he is ideologically inclined to oppose Trump's policies.

The other candidates under discussion do not have Rohrabacher's experience and do not share Trump's views on foreign affairs.  By picking him, Trump will prove to his supporters that he is committed to his promise to drain the swamp and put America first.

Tom Tancredo represented Colorado's 6th Congressional District from 1999 to 2009.