The Senate voted 79–18 to confirm Doug Burgum as secretary of the Department of the Interior on Thursday, with the majority of Democrats joining all 53 Republicans in backing his nomination.
Burgum, a billionaire, former governor of North Dakota, and one-time presidential candidate, will help lead President Donald Trump’s agenda to boost domestic oil and gas production in place of the Biden administration’s reliance on renewable energy. He succeeds Deb Haaland, who cut back on oil and gas sales and prioritized solar and wind projects on federal lands over the past four years.
In addition to environmental policy, the cabinet-level appointee will oversee nearly 500 million acres of public land and 1.7 billion acres of offshore waters.
Burgum previously governed an oil-rich state and ran for president in 2023 before subsequently dropping out of the race and endorsing Trump. He has since stayed in the president’s inner circle.
Burgum is expected to further Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” policy that will make it easier and cheaper to produce oil and gas in the U.S, which is already the world’s largest producer of crude oil.
During his Senate confirmation hearing, Burgum promoted Trump’s “energy dominance” vision.
“The American people clearly placed their confidence in President Trump to achieve energy dominance. Energy dominance is the foundation of historic American prosperity, affordability for American families, and unrivaled national security,” Burgum said. “President Trump’s energy dominance can be America’s ‘big stick’ that is leveraged to achieve historic prosperity and world peace.”
Trump has reversed the previous administration’s acceleration of green-energy alternatives, such as offshore wind, through executive action since taking office. When asked about offshore wind farms, Burgum said projects that already are under way likely won’t be halted at this time.
“If they make sense and they’re already in law, I think they’ll continue,” he told lawmakers. “I think President Trump has been very clear in his statements, that he’s concerned about the significant amount of tax incentives that have gone towards some forms of energy.”
While heading the Interior Department, Burgum will also chair the National Energy Council that has yet to be created and have a seat on the National Security Council. No past interior secretary has been placed on the latter council.
Burgum is the latest confirmed official who will oversee environmental issues. Lee Zeldin was confirmed as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the nominee to lead the Department of Energy, Chris Wright, is set for a final confirmation vote on Friday or early next week.
If approved, Wright will become Trump’s ninth appointee confirmed by the GOP-controlled Senate.