North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (Republican) appears poised to take an energy role in former President Donald Trump’s next administration if he wins the White House.
Burgum was reportedly on Trump’s shortlist of running mates but was ultimately replaced by Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, but he said Trump called him “Mr. Secretary” after he wasn’t selected as the vice presidential candidate.
And in a prime-time speech at the Republican National Convention last week, Burgum focused largely on energy policy.
“Unlocking American energy dominance is the path to restoring prosperity and peace through strength,” Burgum told the audience on Wednesday. “Teddy Roosevelt encouraged America to speak softly and wield a big stick. Energy dominance will be the big stick that Trump wields.”
Trump has publicly and privately praised Burgum’s acumen.Speaking at a rally“He probably knows more about energy than anyone I know,” Burgum said.
“More than a year ago, Donald Trump asked me if I thought Doug Burgum would be the right choice to be secretary of energy,” Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-D., told The Hill.
Cramer supported Burgum’s presidential bid at the time, but now he has his own idea of what role Burgum should play: Secretary of Energy.
“Either the White House or any government agency. [an] A whole-of-government strategic approach to energy development would make a lot of sense,” Cramer said.
“If we want to take advantage of everything Doug Burgum has to offer in the energy sector, we should give it all to him,” he added.
Burgum said earlier this year that he would not seek re-election as North Dakota’s governor, a position he has held since 2016. As governor, he has set a goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2030, not by reducing fossil fuel use but by capturing and storing carbon emissions.
Many in the environmental community are skeptical of carbon capture and question whether it will actually achieve the emissions reductions that are expected, and many also express concerns about the safety of the pipeline infrastructure that would transport the captured carbon.
Burgum made energy one of his top priorities during his presidential campaign, saying he wanted to “dramatically increase” the country’s energy production.Campaign website.
Outside the energy sector, heSigned major anti-transgender billHe then enacted a law banning almost all abortions in the state, aligning himself with hard-line conservative Republicans.
Prior to joining the government, Burgum worked in the technology industry, playing key roles at a software company that was later acquired by Microsoft, where he later served as a senior vice president.
The governor has reportedly helped shape the Trump campaign’s energy policy and has been in discussions with oil industry donors.The Washington Post.
“He has a very active network,” Cramer said. “It’s hard to imagine a CEO in the oil, gas and coal industry on the continent who doesn’t know Doug Burgum.”
Frank Maisano, a senior principal at law firm Bracewell, which serves both renewable energy and fossil fuel clients, said the industry would be happy to see Burgum take on the energy czar-like role that Cramer described.
“The industry as a whole is going to be pretty happy with this, whoever it is,” he said, noting that Burgum “understands the energy industry.”
Trump has promised to “dig deep” if he returns to the White House, and while he has at times touted his support for “all-of-above” energy, the former president has been a critic of renewable energy, particularly wind power.
Maisano said he believes Burgum would support an “all of above” strategy that includes renewable energy and fossil fuels.
“Having someone like Doug Burgum who can go to the president and make the case, I think that’s a valuable role,” he said.
“Whether it’s renewables, whether it’s gas, whether it’s transmission, whether it’s oil or coal, I think they’ll all have an opportunity to have a say, to have a voice and to speak up and to talk to the president through Governor Burgum,” he added.
