BISMARCK — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum will be Donald Trump’s secretary of the interior, according to a statement from the president-elect.
Trump made the announcement on Thursday, Nov. 14, during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida. Burgum, who attended the event, would succeed Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.
“I’m honored and excited to serve and will have more to say after the official announcement,” Burgum said in a statement to The Forum.
The North Dakotan would oversee the National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Fish and Wildlife Services, and several bureaus, including Indian Affairs and Land Management.
Trump initially said he would formally announce Burgum’s post on Friday morning. Video showed Trump teasing the announcement and claiming he wouldn’t say Burgum’s name.
Trump said the person is married to a woman named Kathryn. Burgum is married to Kathryn Burgum.
“Might be something like Burgum,” Trump said. “He’s from North Dakota. He’s going to be announced for a very big position. … Actually, he’s going to head the Department of Interior, and he's going to be fantastic.”
Burgum, 68, has served as North Dakota governor since 2016. The native of Arthur, North Dakota, decided not to seek a third term in office this year.
Before his stint in politics, Burgum led Great Plains Software, a startup tech company that grew to employ thousands in North Dakota. Microsoft bought the company in 2001.
Burgum also founded the Kilbourne Group, a real estate developer responsible for revitalizing much of downtown Fargo. He co-founded Arthur Ventures, which invests in software companies.
Trump, a Republican, defeated Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat who ran to succeed President Joe Biden, in the general election. Trump won the presidency in 2016 but lost a bid for reelection to Biden in 2020.
Burgum also ran as a Republican for the 2024 election but dropped out of the race in early December.
Since endorsing Trump in January, Burgum has traveled frequently across the country to campaign for the former president and attend other events. The Forum previously reported that Trump wanted the governor to be a “very important piece of his administration ,” but Trump never specified the position he had in mind for the governor.
Burgum said Trump would be better for North Dakota and the U.S. than Biden and Harris, particularly when it came to the economy, national security and energy policy. North Dakota is the third top oil-producing state in the country, and it ranks seventh for coal, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Burgum didn’t always support Trump. He told “Meet the Press,” a Sunday morning show on NBC News, that he would not do business with Trump.
“I think it’s important that you’re judged by the company you keep,” Burgum said in the NBC interview in July 2023.
The North Dakotan was considered a top contender for Trump’s vice president, but Trump chose U.S. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio.
Speculation on what role Burgum could serve in Trump’s administration has grown over the last several months. His name has been suggested for secretary of state, energy, interior or commerce.
Trump has nominated U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as his secretary of state.
The Forum reported that the North Dakota congressional delegation thought Trump should create a position for Burgum to fit his managerial skills.
The Trust Project
