The Senate has confirmed President Donald Trump’s decide to guide the Inside Division, former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
He secured affirmation with vital bipartisan assist and a 79-18 vote.
On Wednesday, senators voted by a 78–20 margin to shut debate and transfer the nomination to a last vote.
Burgum appeared earlier than the Senate Vitality and Pure Assets Committee in mid-January, the place he advised lawmakers that nationwide safety points and the financial system have been his high two priorities for main the company.
BURGUM GRILLED ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES TARGETED BY TRUMP DURING CONFIRMATION HEARING: ‘DRILL, BABY, DRILL’
Doug Burgum served as governor of North Dakota from 2016 to 2024. (Saul Loeb/Getty Pictures)
“When vitality manufacturing is restricted in America, it does not cut back demand,” Burgum stated in his opening assertion on Jan. 16. “It simply shifts manufacturing to nations like Russia and Iran, whose autocratic leaders not solely do not care in any respect concerning the surroundings, however they use their revenues from vitality gross sales to fund wars towards us and our allies.”
Lawmakers, together with Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, questioned Burgum on whether or not he would allow oil drilling in nationwide parks if Trump requested him to.
“As a part of my sworn obligation, I am going to observe the legislation and observe the Structure. And so you may rely on that,” Burgum stated. “And I’ve not heard of something about President Trump desirous to do something aside from advancing vitality manufacturing for the good thing about the American folks.”
ZELDIN GRILLED BY DEMOCRATS ON CLIMATE CHANGE, TRUMP’S STANCE ON CARBON EMISSIONS DURING EPA HEARING
Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, questioned former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum on whether or not he plans to “drill, child, drill.” (Getty Pictures)
Burgum served as governor of North Dakota from 2016 to 2024. He additionally launched a presidential bid for the 2024 election in June 2023, and vitality and pure assets have been key points throughout his marketing campaign.
Burgum appeared in the course of the first two Republican presidential debates, however didn’t qualify for the third and ended his marketing campaign in December 2023. He endorsed Trump for the GOP nomination a month later forward of the Iowa caucuses.
Aubrie Spady, Sarah Rumpf-Whitten and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
