Senate Confirms Doug Burgum as Head of Interior Department
The Senate has confirmed President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department, former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, with a 79-18 vote. Burgum secured confirmation with significant bipartisan support. He appeared before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in mid-January, where he prioritized national security issues and the economy as his top two priorities for leading the agency.
During his confirmation hearing, Burgum was grilled on environmental issues, including oil drilling in national parks. He responded by stating that he would follow the law and the Constitution, and that he had not heard of any plans by President Trump to permit oil drilling in national parks.
Burgum previously served as governor of North Dakota from 2016 to 2024, and launched a presidential bid in June 2023. He appeared in the first two Republican presidential debates but did not qualify for the third and ended his campaign in December 2023. He endorsed Trump for the GOP nomination in January 2024.
Burgum’s confirmation comes amid concerns over his stance on environmental issues, with some lawmakers questioning his commitment to addressing climate change. However, he secured a significant bipartisan vote, indicating broad support for his nomination.