In a wide-ranging interview with LifeZette, political commentator Tomi Lahren opened up on her personal political views, discussed the fallout from her pro-choice comments on “The View,” and defended her decision to do an interview with Playboy Magazine.

She also discussed how millennials can contribute to the conservative movement and gave her thoughts on Donald Trump’s performance so far.

“Playboy is really known for having great articles.”

Only this week, Lahren settled a lawsuit with “The Blaze” that resulted from the fallout that came after she made pro-choice comments during an appearance on “The View.” Amidst a backlash from the conservative audience of “The Blaze,” which widely derided her as a phony conservative and hypocrite, the network benched the controversial commentator.

“There was definitely an element of surprise,” said Lahren. “You know, the world kind of caved in on me,” she said. “But I emerged from it stronger, I emerged from it with a larger following, and for me the most exciting part of the whole thing is that finally people could see that I am not someone who follows ideological talking points, or party talking points, or network talking points, or my boss’s talking points,” she said.

In addition to her pro-choice beliefs, Lahren said there were other areas in which she disagrees with the more traditionally conservative positions. “I am socially moderate. I believe in limited government when it comes to social issues. I always say, ‘I don’t care what you do — I just don’t want to pay for it.’ That encompasses same-sex marriage as well,” she said.

“I’ve always considered myself a conservative, but like I said before I think that millennials don’t like to label themselves with a particular party or a particular ideological set of ideas,” said Lahren. “I think that more young people at large would be more libertarian in [their] thinking.”

“I wouldn’t say I’m all libertarian because there are issues with national security and defense where I’m more conservative or more hawkish,” Lahren clarified. “I align more closely with conservatives on a lot of issues, but there are some issues where I’m more libertarian,” Lahren said.

Lahren defended a decision to give an interview last week to Playboy Magazine, saying conservatives should reach out to left-wing publications.

“For me, it was a different outlet, and I like to do that. I think that conservatives, and libertarians, and independent thinkers, or those that are center-right, I think that we would do well to reach out to publications that maybe conservatives haven’t always been in, haven’t always taken interviews from, haven’t always exposed themselves to,” Lahren said.

“If I can get some of my message out to the other side, and maybe they agree with a few of the things that I say, I gain some fans on the other side, and maybe, just maybe, I convince them to be more conservative, or at least give conservative principles a chance,” Lahren continued. “Just talking to outlets that are conservative, I’m not really changing anyone’s mind, I’m preaching to the choir.”

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“And also beyond that, Playboy is really known for having great articles,” Lahren added. “[A]nd a lot of folks don’t know that, but they do great profile pieces and they’ve profiled a lot of really important people in history — Malcolm X, the list is actually really incredible — so if I can be a part of that, you know I’m proud to be,” Lahren said. “It might make some pearl-clutchers upset, but I think if they read the article they’ll find nothing that would surprise them or offend them in any way.”

Interestingly, Lahren is once again facing charges of hypocrisy over comments she made in the Playboy interview in which she said her former on-air female colleagues at One America News (OAN) were “dum-dum(s) who look pretty.” Lahren said she finds similar language, such as “blonde bimbo,” offensive when it is directed at her.

“You know I would really hope that that wasn’t what they took from that. That’s not what I meant at all,” said Lahren. “It actually really, really hurts me that people would think that I was somehow labeling my former co-workers at One America ‘dumb’ or ‘bimbo’ — I would never do that, they’re some of my greatest friends there,” she said.

“When [Playboy] asked me that question they said, ‘Hey did you just walk into One America and get a job because you were attractive?’ and I said, ‘No, there are many, many attractive women that work at One America, and they have a different job than I do,” Lahren explained. “They’re anchors, and they are models and actresses and they have no desire to be political commentators,” said Lahren. “They’re great at their jobs, but they are models and actresses. I am not a model or an actress,” she said.

“Not taking anything away from those people, there’s nothing wrong with being a model or an actress or an anchor, but it’s different from what I do and I didn’t get my job because of my looks, I got my job because, yeah, maybe I’m attractive, it’s a visual medium, but I can also captivate an audience,” she said.

Read highlights from full interview below:

LZ: How can millennials contribute to the conservative movement?
Lahren: Right now is a great time for Americans, but especially for millennials. I think this president is going to be great for millennials, but beyond that I think excitement [is what] we can bring to politics.

We’re in a new political climate right now as I see it, and it’s a time where instead of talking about reality TV and talking about the next show — instead of talking about the next fashion craze — it seems like young people are really, actually getting excited about politics.

And it’s bittersweet, because it’s been a very polarizing election season, and we know that college campuses have really been a battleground for a lot of the political conversations.

But if we can take something away from that, if there’s a silver lining in all of what’s been going on, it’s at least young people are finally engaging, and they’re starting a conversation. They didn’t feel a part of it before … now they do.

LZ: How about conservative media specifically, in what ways can millennials contribute towards the conservative media?
Lahren: I think it has to be digital. I think that’s where I’ve found so much success, because I’ve broken the mold of where traditionally you’d have somebody that was going to be a strong voice in the conservative movement, or a strong voice in the conservative media, and they had to rise through the ranks, they had to be a contributor for five years and then maybe they got on a couple of shows, you know it was a long process, and by that time they were in their mid 30s or even 40s.

So they’ve kind of left young people and maybe don’t even relate to young people as much anymore. But I think now, with social media [you are] able to get your message out so quickly and so easily, and anyone can really be their own TV studio now as far as cellphones and Facebook Live, and all the social media platforms.

I think young people are … able to say, “you know what, I have a voice, I have something to say.” I know that’s my experience and I don’t necessarily need a network to convey my message. I can do it myself and I can do it effectively, and I can do it in a way that’s going to cater to the young minds and also to the way we consume news today, which is very different from older generations.

LZ: What are the advantages of being on a network vs. being an independent commentator?
Lahren: Of course [being with a network] is easier, in some ways. It’s easier because you’ve got the tools, you’ve got the resources … but you also don’t have the freedom. Being able to go off and do it on your own and truly be fearless and unfiltered, that’s something that’s very exciting to me personally, and I think to a lot of others in the space as well. And I think that we’re going to change the game, and I think that people might not be ready for it.

LZ: Are you worried about the efforts of websites like YouTube and Facebook to clamp down on and censor independent right-wing media?
Lahren: I think others might be, but I’ve been blessed with such a large following that for me I’m not particularly concerned about it, because I know that those people are going to follow me, even throughout controversy. I’ve been through some controversy, I’ve been through several controversies, but my base has only grown, and my voice has only grown from all of that.

I think that the powers that be can do what they want to try to constrain it, but at the end of the day when you’ve got millions of people behind you — I call them the silent majority — it’s unstoppable. “nd that’s what we saw in the election, and that’s what we’re seeing with media. This is a new time, and it’s going to evolve or die.

And those that don’t want to evolve, those that want to cling to what they think things should be and the box that they think the world should be in, they’re gonna die, and everyone else is going to be evolving and changing, and changing the game and I’m going to be a part of that, and I’m going to be at the forefront of that.

LZ: You’ve been a very vocal supporter of President Trump. What do you make of his presidency so far?
Lahren: I’m very proud of what our president has done thus far. We have more work to do, that’s for sure, and I think that Congress has to play ball, and some of those looking to torpedo the president on both the left and the right, I think that they have to take their bitterness and push it aside and then actually work to make the country better and make the country great again.

But I’m very proud of the direction that we’re headed, we’re not all the way there but we’re working towards it. I believe that [Trump’s] principles and his goals and what he wants to achieve and his “America First” platform — I think he’s working to advance those things and do it very quickly.

There are some things I’m not going to love. I tweeted earlier today I’m not sure how I feel about this new health care direction. I think it’s a good start — I don’t think it’s exactly what we wanted but I think that starting in the right direction is better than no start at all. I feel the same way about immigration.

I would hope we would start working on that … instead of leaving it as is and leaving our borders porous and continuing to have this problem, but it’s a work in progress and I think that we need the wall, and I think he needs to deliver on that campaign promise.

But he’s going to need some folks to play ball and we’ll wait and see if they’re going to do that and I think as the midterms get closer, we’ll see where their hearts and minds are at.

LZ: Were you surprised by the reaction to your pro-choice comments on “The View”?
Lahren: Of course. There was definitely an element of surprise. You know, the world kind of caved in on me. But I emerged from it stronger, I emerged from it with a larger following, and for me the most exciting part of the whole thing is that finally people could see that I am not someone who follows ideological talking points, or party talking points, or network talking points, or my boss’s talking points.

I follow my heart, and my truth, and I follow my belief system, and I’m not going to compromise that for anything. That doesn’t mean that I’m right or wrong, or they’re right or they’re wrong, or anybody else, it just means that we have to have independent thinkers, we have to have people that are strong and brave enough to come out and say, “You know what, I agree with the party on 90 percent of the platform but here’s where I stray.” Most Americans fit that mindset of that a la carte politics, and guess what, that’s okay.

LZ: But can you understand why there was such a strong reaction from conservatives?
Lahren: Oh sure, I can always understand. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, and everyone’s entitled to have the conversation and say, “Hey I disagree with you,” and I welcome that … I like to be able to have a free exchange of ideas.

The thing that bothers me — and whether that be liberals or conservatives or libertarians, I don’t care — is when anyone tries to take away the voice or the speech of someone else, that’s when I have a problem.

There’s no issue with me with disagreeing … but it’s about being able to have the open and free dialogue to disagree, and to come to a place where we really do understand each other — but you’re never going to get there if you don’t listen to the other side or the other viewpoint.

I’ve always been someone who’s open to listening to differing opinions, that’s why I go on shows like “The Daily Show” or “[Real Time with] Bill Maher” or “The View,” because I am perfectly fine with being challenged by conservatives, and liberals, and anyone and everyone, and I enjoy the conversation.

LZ: Do you consider yourself a conservative?
Lahren: I’ve always considered myself a conservative, but like I said before I think that millennials don’t like to label themselves with a particular party or a particular ideological set of ideas. I think that more young people at large would be more libertarian in [their] thinking.

I wouldn’t say I’m all libertarian, because there are issues with national security and defense where I’m more conservative or more hawkish. I align more closely with conservatives on a lot of issues, but there are some issues where I’m more libertarian. For me at the end of the day, my main take on it, if you want to label me something, is limited government.

LZ: So aside from being pro-choice, are there other traditionally conservative positions with which you disagree?
Lahren: I am socially moderate. I believe in limited government when it comes to social issues. I always say, “I don’t care what you do — I just don’t want to pay for it.” That encompasses same-sex marriage as well.

LZ: How did you arrive at your political beliefs? Were any thinkers/books of particular importance in shaping your worldview?
Lahren: I have a very different story. Some people like to look up to mentors, they look up to certain political figures, [but] for me it’s the way I grew up, and it’s the way I was raised.”

I was raised in middle America by a hard-working family and hard-working parents that grew up on ranches and had to work very hard, and their parents had to work very hard before them and didn’t go to college and were just trying to make their way in life. [They] only asked the government to stay out of their way and allow them to live their lives and to prosper and to take care of their family.

That’s how I was raised, and so that’s more of an inspiration to me than any one singular person or one mentor or any political figure. I kind of tend to stray away from that. I don’t hold anyone as an idol. More so it’s the hard-working Americans that I see everyday — our police officers, our firefighters, our men and women in uniform, our ranchers, our farmers, our coal workers — that’s my inspiration.

LZ: Was your recent decision to do an interview with Playboy Magazine a sort of subtle dig at the social conservatives who responded negatively to your pro-choice comments on “The View”? How do you think social conservatives will respond?
Lahren: When people say, “Oh, you’re going to be in Playboy,” of course there are people who say that “Oh, she sold out, she went in Playboy” — yeah, I was fully clothed in Playboy, I didn’t do anything provocative, I didn’t do anything dirty, and I didn’t do anything in the interview that I wouldn’t do with LifeZette, or Politico or anywhere else.

For me, it was a different outlet, and I like to do that. I think that conservatives, and libertarians, and independent thinkers, or those that are center-right, I think that we would do well to reach out to publications that maybe conservatives haven’t always been in, haven’t always taken interviews from, haven’t always exposed themselves to. Instead of just talking to people that think like we do, why are we not reaching out to those more left-of-center outlets?

If I can get some of my message out to the other side, and maybe they agree with a few of the things that I say, I gain some fans on the other side, and maybe, just maybe, I convince them to be more conservative, or at least give conservative principles a chance. Just talking to outlets that are conservative, I’m not really changing anyone’s mind, I’m preaching to the choir.

And also beyond that, Playboy is really known for having great articles. [A]nd a lot of folks don’t know that, but they do great profile pieces and they’ve profiled a lot of really important people in history — Malcolm X, the list is actually really incredible — so if I can be a part of that, you know I’m proud to be. It might make some pearl-clutchers upset but I think if they read the article they’ll find nothing that would surprise them or offend them in any way.

LZ: You faced charges of hypocrisy for your comments on “The View,” and now some have pointed to comments you made in the Playboy interview and leveled the same charge, claiming you implied that your former colleagues at One America News were “dum-dum(s) who look pretty,” despite saying you found terms such as “blonde bimbo” to be offensive.
Lahren: You know, I would really hope that that wasn’t what they took from that. That’s not what I meant at all. It actually really, really hurts me that people would think that I was somehow labeling my former co-workers at One America “dumb” or “bimbo” — I would never do that. They’re some of my greatest friends there. If that’s the context it was taken in, or that’s how people chose to read that, it really saddens me that that’s how it was taken because they’re great people there and they’ve always been so great to me.

When they asked me that question, they said, “Hey did you just walk into One America and get a job because you were attractive?” and I said, “No, there are many, many attractive women that work at One America, and they have a different job than I do. They’re anchors, and they are models and actresses, and they have no desire to be political commentators. They’re great at their jobs, but they are models and actresses, I am not a model or an actress. So it’s not taking anything away from them in saying I didn’t get in there because I was a model and actress.

Not taking anything away from those people, there’s nothing wrong with being a model or an actress or an anchor, but it’s different from what I do and I didn’t get my job because of my looks, I got my job because, yeah, maybe I’m attractive, it’s a visual medium, but I can also captivate an audience.