Interior secretary nominee Doug Burgum's confirmation hearing: What to know, how to watch
Doug Burgum, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be the next Secretary of the Interior, is set to face his Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday.
Trump nominated the former North Dakota governor at a Mar-a-Lago gala on Nov. 14. Trump then made the nomination official the next day, saying that Burgum will hold a seat on his National Security Council while chairing a new energy council.
The National Energy Council will be tasked with reducing bureaucracy or unneeded regulations to strengthen private sector investments. The council will include federal agencies and departments involved permitting and rule-setting in the energy sector. Trump wrote that Burgum's roles will help boost the "path to U.S. energy dominance."
"Doug Burgum will protect our Nation’s Natural Resources, restore our fabulous Oil and Gas advantage, and Make America, and its Energy, Dominant and Great Again!" Trump said in a statement officially announcing the nomination.
Later that month Burgum, 68, met with U.S. Senator John Hoeven, the Republican chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to discuss strategy.
"I’m working to get him confirmed ASAP. He’s the right choice to serve as President Trump’s Interior Secretary and Chair of the National Energy Council," the North Dakota representative wrote on X.
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How to watch Doug Burgum's confirmation hearing?
Burgum's confirmation hearing for the Secretary of the Interior role is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 16 at 10 a.m. ET. The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will question Burgum in Washington, D.C., and the hearing can be watched live in the video below.
Who is Doug Burgum?
Doug Burgum is a former software entrepreneur and billionaire who served as the 32nd governor of North Dakota for two terms between 2016 to 2024.
He previously served as the senior vice president at Microsoft, founder of real estate company Kilbourne Group and co-founder of regional venture capital fund Arthur Ventures, according to the governor's office. Other prior roles include a member of Stanford graduate business school's advisory council and a board of directors member for software company SuccessFactors.
Burgum has also established the Doug Burgum Family Fund, dedicated to supporting youth and education.
Born in a small Cass County town, he graduated from North Dakota State University in 1978 with a Bachelor of University Studies degree before earning his MBA at the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1980.
When did Doug Burgum run for president?
Burgum is also known for his stint as a long-shot candidate for the GOP nomination in the 2024 presidential race.
His campaign lasted between June 2023 to December 2023 and emphasized energy policy and national security. He qualified for the first two Republican debates but struggled for airtime and dropped out before GOP primary voting began.
Burgum was also shortlisted as for Trump's vice presidential nominee pick before adding now-Vice President-elect JD Vance to the ticket.
What does the Secretary of the Interior do?
If confirmed, Burgum will oversee much of the nation's public lands and natural resources, including the national parks. The Department of the Interior also runs the bureaus of Land Management, Reclamation, and Indian Affairs, and the U.S. Geological Survey, among others.
Contributing: Kathryn Palmer
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Doug Burgum's confirmation hearing: What to know, how to watch