Doug Burgum is the current U.S. Secretary of the Interior, serving since 2025 under President Donald Trump.
Listen to the RJ Harris Show Friday, May 1st at 8:35 a.m. to hear Secretary Burgum
As Interior Secretary, Burgum oversees agencies such as the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and others responsible for federal lands, natural resources, and tribal relations. His tenure has been marked by several notable themes:
- Energy Policy Alignment with the Trump Administration Burgum has strongly supported expanding oil, gas, and coal production on federal lands, arguing that previous administrations over‑regulated these industries. He has defended policies that scale back wind and solar development, describing them as necessary corrections to what he characterized as an overemphasis on renewables.
- Workforce and Department Reorganization In 2026, Burgum told Congress that the Interior Department no longer planned to carry out previously announced large‑scale layoffs, instead offering voluntary buyouts and early retirements. He emphasized maintaining staffing levels in public‑facing roles, especially within the National Park Service.
- Wildfire Management and Criticism of Past Practices After the devastating Dragon Bravo Fire at the Grand Canyon, Burgum publicly criticized the National Park Service’s initial containment strategy, arguing that a full‑suppression approach might have prevented major losses. He has advocated for a more aggressive federal wildfire response and supported the creation of a new Wildland Fire Service.