By Victor Nava | New York Post
Former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum was confirmed by the Senate Thursday to lead President Trump’s Department of the Interior.
Burgum, 68, received bipartisan support from senators, who voted 78-18 to approve his Cabinet nomination.
The former Republican presidential primary candidate is expected to play a key role in Trump’s plan to put the US on the path to “energy dominance.”
“Gov. Burgum knows that America’s natural resources are our greatest national asset,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said in remarks from the Senate floor before the confirmation vote.
“I look forward to working with him to protect our public lands and leverage some of America’s greatest assets for a safer, more prosperous future,” he added.
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) described Bugum as “tailor-made” for the role of interior secretary.
“Doug’s leadership in North Dakota and coordination with our tribes are models for our nation,” Cramer wrote on X after the confirmation vote. “He has a lot of work to do righting the ship, but his consensus-driven leadership style is up to the task.”
Burgum served as governor of energy-rich North Dakota from 2016 until December and was known for his business-oriented and “data-driven” approach to running the state.
As interior secretary, Burgum will be eighth in line to the presidency.
He will be tasked with overseeing the management of about 640 million acres of federal land and 70,000 employees.
The Department of the Interior is also responsible for the development of conventional and renewable energy supplies on public lands and waters, including mining and oil and gas drilling.
The National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the US Fish and Wildlife Service all fall under the umbrella of Burgum’s department.
Trump, 78, has also tasked his former 2024 GOP presidential primary rival with leading the newly established National Energy Council.
The council, Trump wrote in a statement, “will consist of all Departments and Agencies involved in the permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation, transportation, of ALL forms of American Energy.”
The Senate on Thursday also advanced the nominations of Energy Secretary-designate Christopher Wright and Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary-designate Doug Collins to a final vote, which will take place next week.