NEW YORK CITY, New York—Lt. General Mike Flynn received the prestigious Defense of American Principles Award from the London Center for Policy Research at the 2016 American Liberty Awards Dinner at the Metropolitan Club on Monday.

Others receiving awards from the London Center were Congressman Jim Jordan, philanthropist Foster Friess, and former Indiana Governor and President of Purdue University Mitch Daniels.

“I’ve got a secret to tell you,” General Flynn began his remarks at the exclusive dinner. “I’m deplorable,” General Flynn said to huge applause, referencing Hillary Clinton’s attack on supporters of Donald Trump as a “basket of deplorables.”

General Flynn continued his praise of Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump saying that Trump’s biggest problem is that he “tells the truth” and that the business mogul refuses to follow the tenets of “political correctness.” He also spent a considerable portion of his remarks attacking the “rules of engagement” that limit our military forces’ ability to win conflicts. Flynn pointed out that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would continue those failed tactics.

Breitbart News spoke exclusively with General Flynn during the dinner and the General heaped praise on the London Center for Policy Research.

The London Center brings to bear not just people who think about things, actually people who have directly participated in the either good or bad foreign policy that our country has had. The individuals that are represented to lead this institute — guys like Herb London, Tony Shaffer, Eli Gold — these are people who actually are directly involved in carrying it out. They advance the idea of American patriotism, American exceptionalism, and they advance the idea of our culture, the American culture that is a robust strong culture, and it’s something that people should not fear. What our country is built upon, which is a set of Judeo-Christian principals and values, people should not be afraid of that. And that’s what the London institute does.

Congressman Jim Jordan received the London Center’s American Legislative Hero Award but was unable to attend the dinner due to legislative hearings scheduled in Washington DC. Congressman Jordan provided a recorded message which focused on the House Oversight Committee’s exposure of Hillary Clinton’s mishandling of classified information, destruction of evidence, and failure to provide support to the consulate in Benghazi, Libya on 9/11/2012.

Philanthropist and Republican mega-donor Foster Friess received the London Center’s Policy Direction and Leadership Award. Friess spoke about the need to challenge current narratives and to find common ground in order to pass critical policies with broad public appeal.

Former Indiana Governor and President of Purdue University Mitch Daniels received the London Center’s American Liberty award. Daniels spoke about his long friendship with the London Center’s President Herb London and about the importance of passing on the principles of individual liberty.

The dinner’s Master of Ceremonies was Emmy Award winning actor Tony Lo Bianco, and other speakers included General Ernie Audino, Gregory Thornbury, Herb London, Eli Gold, and Lt. Col Tony Shaffer.

The London Center for Policy Research describes itself as a “think and do tank” and focuses on national security, energy, and risk analysis. The London Center’s President Herb London described it this way to Breitbart News, “The London Center is important because in large part we are concerned about the direction of American foreign policy and protecting the interests of the United States at home and abroad.”

Dustin Stockton is a political reporter for Breitbart News, a community liaison for Gun Owners of America, and a political strategist. Follow him on Twitter @DustinStockton or Facebook.