The Senate has confirmed President Donald Trump’s choose to guide the Inside Division, former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
He secured affirmation with important 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 remaining vote.
Burgum appeared earlier than the Senate Power and Pure Sources Committee in mid-January, the place he informed lawmakers that nationwide safety points and the financial system had been his prime 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 Photographs)
“When power manufacturing is restricted in America, it does not scale back demand,” Burgum stated in his opening assertion on Jan. 16. “It simply shifts manufacturing to international locations like Russia and Iran, whose autocratic leaders not solely do not care in any respect in regards to the setting, however they use their revenues from power gross sales to fund wars in opposition to 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 comply with the regulation and comply with the Structure. And so you’ll be able to depend on that,” Burgum stated. “And I’ve not heard of something about President Trump desirous to do something aside from advancing power manufacturing for the advantage of 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 Photographs)
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 power and pure assets had been key points throughout his marketing campaign.
Burgum appeared through 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.
