Former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum will lay out his vision for bringing on a new era of American energy dominance in the opening remarks of his Thursday morning confirmation hearing, according to a copy of his prepared remarks obtained by The Daily Wire.
Burgum is President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to serve as the next secretary of the Department of the Interior. During his nomination hearing on Thursday, Burgum is expected to tell senators that energy dominance can be America’s “big stick” on the world stage.
After laying out his background and experience, Burgum will endorse a “big stick” approach to energy and production, a reference to former President Theodore Roosevelt’s advice to “speak softly and carry a big stick.”
“When energy production is restricted in America, it doesn’t reduce demand, it just shifts production to countries like Russia, Venezuela, and Iran – whose autocratic leaders don’t care about the environment,” Burgum will say.
“In our time, President Trump’s Energy Dominance can be America’s ‘big stick’ that is leveraged to achieve historic prosperity and world peace. The Department of the Interior – in cooperation with U.S. Congress, this committee, and the states – will play a pivotal role in achieving the outcomes to make the world safer and America even better for our children, grandchildren, and generations to come,” Burgum will say.
The former North Dakota governor will recount his life growing up in a small town in North Dakota to running a global company before he served in public office for the first time in 2016 as his state’s governor.
“Growing up I worked at our family’s grain elevator. Every job I had through college was one that required showering at the end of the day — not the beginning. This included paying my way through North Dakota State University by working as a chimney sweep,” he will say.
Burgum will highlight his experience working to manage North Dakota’s lands and natural resources while improving relations with its tribes.
“In North Dakota, we created a prosperous economy by sustainably developing our natural resources with respect for our land and wildlife while having among the cleanest air and water in the country. During our tenure, North Dakota experienced among the lowest unemployment in the nation and top real GDP growth. Demographically, we went from one of the oldest states to the youngest. And we attracted record levels of talent and investment capital,” Burgum will say.
EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK — @DougBurgum will pledge in his opening remarks to prioritize "INNOVATION over regulation" to achieve "energy dominance" for America
According to a copy of his remarks obtained by @realDailyWire, Burgum will say that Trump achieving energy dominance has…
— Brent Scher (@BrentScher) January 16, 2025
