Joni Ernst
Iowa Senator Joni Ernst — the first female combat veteran to serve in the United States Senate — will deliver a prime-time speech about national security at next week’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
“This is a great opportunity for me to be on the national stage and talk about something that is so vitally important to our country,” Ernst told Radio Iowa.
The Trump campaign has not yet released a speaking schedule, but according to sources, Ernst will be speaking Monday night. Ernst is hinting she is preparing remarks that will be a partial indictment of the Obama Administration’s policies for military engagement.
“If you look at the global front where we’re trying to combat ISIS as best as we can, but without a very enthusiastic administration,” Ernst said. “And Hillary Clinton will just continue on with these lackluster policies.”
Seven months ago, Ernst was deputy chief of staff at the Iowa National Guard’s headquarters when she retired after a 23-year military career. In 2003, Ernst was the commander of a battalion of Iowa National Guard soldiers who ran supply convoys from Kuwait into Iraq. She emphasized her military experience during her successful 2014 campaign for the U.S. Senate. It’s one reason she was rumored to be on Trump’s list of potential running mates.