Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) said it’s particularly important for the heads of the armed services committees to get behind Donald Trump. | AP Photo Rep. Hunter on colleagues reluctant to back Trump: 'Toughen up'

One of the first members of Congress to endorse Donald Trump has a message for his Republican colleagues reluctant to publicly back their presumptive nominee: “Toughen up.”

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), who is co-chairing Trump’s congressional liaison committee, said in an interview with POLITICO on Tuesday that it’s particularly important for the heads of the armed services committees to get behind Trump as he prepares for a general election fight against former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.


"It'd be great to have the subcommittee chairmen," said Hunter, who sits on two subcommittees of the House Armed Services Committee. He added that congressional Republicans "need to get over the politics of the season."

They also "need to toughen up and get behind our candidate," the California Republican said.

Hunter pointed to the endorsement of Trump by Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) as an example of a colleague who had gotten behind another candidate, in this case Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, only to switch in order to strengthen party unity.

"My top priority in Congress is to provide for the common defense and our men and women in uniform," said Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.), the chairman of the House Armed Services’ Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, in a statement to POLITICO. "Strong, principled foreign policies have been a hallmark of the Republican Party, and I will be happy to sit down with our nominee to discuss what we must do to rebuild our military, strengthen national security, and keep America safe."

The latest push from Hunter comes as Trump has succeeded in winning over more converts in Washington, but has yet to achieve the GOP unification he and the Republican National Committee have called for.

House Speaker Paul Ryan is still withholding his endorsement, in part to give some cover to other lawmakers, particularly those in danger of losing their seats.

But Hunter is trying to ratchet up the pressure, saying it’s in his colleagues’ best interest to help out Trump. He said on Tuesday that Trump would benefit from the advice of the "huge intellectual prowess" from members of the defense-oriented committees, suggesting that information would be more valuable than the thoughts of a think tank.

"Trump is not a think-tank guy," Hunter said. "He needs to know the stuff that's on the ground."

Hunter also sought to downplay his irritation from earlier this month when Trump failed to meet with rank-and-file lawmakers backing his campaign during a much-hyped visit to Washington to meet with Ryan and other GOP leaders.

“I think it would have been good of him" to meet with "the first endorsers," Hunter told POLITICO at the time. “There is no reason not to have as many people on your side as you can … and he missed a real opportunity here.”

On Tuesday, Hunter expressed confidence that Trump would make the effort to connect with more rank-and-file Republicans. He also noted concern that House leadership could drive a wedge between the Trump campaign and members, but said most lawmakers are independent-minded.

"If you understand the House of Representatives, you understand that House leadership doesn't control its representatives,” he said.