Willie Robertson tells Newsmax TV the United States will be in good hands with Donald Trump, whom he believes has the business chops to improve the nation's economy and rein in government overreach.
The outspoken star of "Duck Dynasty" also revealed how a day of duck hunting with the Republican president-elect's son convinced his father, Phil Robertson, to switch his support from Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.
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"The reason I liked him was because he was a business guy," Robertson, 44, said in an in-depth interview airing Friday on "America Talks Live" and "The Steve Malzberg Show."
"In my life I've had less money and now I've had more money. You can do a lot more when you have some money in your pocket and this country, the debt we're in, we're not going to be able to help anybody, much less ourselves, if we don't get out of this debt.
"So I like the guy. If you're that successful in New York City, you have to learn to work with a lot of different people … He knows big numbers and all that and that made me feel good."
Robertson, author of the new book "The American Fisherman: How Our Nation's Anglers Founded, Fed, Financed, and Forever Shaped the U.S.A.," said he and his family are also concerned about the direction of the U.S. Supreme Court and "we're all thankful that we can keep that thing in balance and in check."
Turning to Hillary Clinton's surprise loss to Trump last week, the duck-raising kingpin told Steve Malzberg it was inevitable, even though she was able to bring out a lot of celebrity firepower in the final days of the campaign.
"To me, at the end there when she was getting all these people, it didn't seem as authentic because you're still looking at the person. No matter who's friends or says they're friends with you. Trump didn't have a lot of people. I was kind of glad," he said.
Robertson, whose A&E program is one of the most successful reality TV shows in history, said he believed the crux of Trump's win came down to authenticity.
"I know why 'Duck Dynasty' has been so successful. These are the people that are watching our show and there was an authenticity there of the people that came out [to support Trump] and I just don't think you got that with Hillary," Robertson said.
"I said it from the beginning, she's a flawed candidate … I didn't think she had the skill set of her husband for sure, who was brilliant. I mean he was a brilliant politician."
Willie, who sports a long ZZ Top-style beard and signature camouflage bandana, admitted the entire Robertson clan wasn't always in Trump's corner, with patriarch Phil Robertson first backing Ted Cruz. But that changed with a day of duck hunting with Donald Trump, Jr.
"Cruz came in when I was out of town and … they shot a commercial, and somebody said [my father Phil is] backing Cruz. I said 'how is my father backing him? He doesn't have a computer, he doesn't have a phone, he lives on a dead-end street. How does he get his message out?"' Robertson said.
"Then we brought in [Trump's son] Donald Trump, Jr. and he hunted and Trump never missed. So I got my father, I said, will you tell me who's the better hunter, Trump or Cruz? And it was hands down, Trump won the day.
"My father got on board with Trump. I didn't rub it in, but at the dinner table I was definitely kind of cheesing on him. He knew that I had made the right choice."
Robertson said his new book on the history of fishing, written with William Doyle and published by William Morrow, has broad appeal but will particularly resonate with Red State voters.
"I was so proud that all those red areas, that their voice was heard … And they're the ones that do go fishing," Robertson said.
"The book is historical, but you know history can be boring, so we found some great stories about leaders and about presidents, about fish and fishing and the industry that just blew us away. Like George Washington was a commercial fisherman and that was his most successful business.
"I was able to be at Mount Vernon — my friend actually rented the house right beside it — so I stood there, look at the Potomac River and knew what he was going through, what he was seeing. From there all the way through history."
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