By: Michael Achterling, Jeff Beach and Mary Steurer (North Dakota Monitor)
President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday he plans to name North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to lead the Department of Interior.
Trump, speaking at Mar-a-Lago Thursday, said he plans to announce Friday that Burgum will be the next interior secretary.
“We’re going to do things with energy and with land, Interior that is going to be incredible,” Trump said in a clip of the event captured on CSPAN. “I look forward to doing the formal announcement.”
Burgum, who has served two terms as governor of North Dakota, was among the field of Republican candidates for president during the primaries before endorsing Trump.
Trump had previously teased that Burgum, a contender for vice president, would be a “very important part of his administration.”
As governor, Burgum has railed against what he sees as government overreach and bureaucracy under the Biden administration, especially on energy policy.
The $18 billion department is responsible for managing public lands, protecting wildlife, maintaining national parks and monuments and overseeing most tribal programs, among other things.
