This is a developing story.
A governor from a sparsely populated and oil-rich state has been nominated to be the next U.S. Department of the Interior secretary, but it’s North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum getting the nod rather than Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy who was rumored as a possible choice.
President-elect Donald Trump announced his nomination of Burgum on Thursday night during a gala at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. The Interior secretary oversees management of federal lands, including national parks and monuments, and natural resource development on public lands.
Burgum, 68, has long-standing ties to fossil fuel companies and acted as a liaison between the Trump campaign and the oil executives who have donated heavily to it, the New York Times reported Thursday evening.
Dunleavy had discussed the Interior post with members of President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team, the political news website NOTUS reported Monday evening. Media reports earlier this week stated U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma was also a candidate.
The Alaska governor further ramped up speculation on Tuesday night with social media posts stating he and Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom would be making a joint announcement. He posted a second message a couple of hours later declaring there would be no announcement after all.
However, on the same evening Dunleavy also posted a message X (formerly known as Twitter) that referenced Trump’s desire to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education — which Trump still hasn’t nominated a secretary for.
“I support the concept of eliminating the US Department of Education,” Dunleavy wrote. “By doing so it would restore local control of education back to the states, reduce bureaucratic inefficiency and reduce cost. Long overdue.”
Media reports have also stated Dunleavy is a possible nominee for the U.S. Department of Energy, which in addition to energy policy has oversight of the country’s nuclear weapons program.
Dunleavy, in a social media message Thursday night, praised Burgum as “a fantastic pick for Secretary of the Interior.”
“Doug’s experience as Governor of North Dakota and in the private sector will be invaluable in pushing the President’s agenda regarding more oil, gas, coal and critical minerals and rare earths,” Dunleavy wrote. “Alaska stands to benefit greatly with Doug at the helm of the Department of Interior.”
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.
