Then President-elect Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Zinke for the position of United States Secretary of the Interior on December 13, 2016. Zinke was confirmed on March 1, 2017, becoming the first Navy SEAL and the first Montanan since statehood to occupy a Cabinet position.[6][7] Zinke's expenditures as Secretary of the Interior, which include expensive flights, have raised ethical questions and controversy, and are investigated by the interior department’s office of inspector general.[8][9]