Trump's Nominee for Secretary of the Interior Confirmed; Bergum is a Supporter of U.S. Oil Extraction

On Thursday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Doug Bergum, former governor of North Dakota, as Secretary of the Interior in the administration of new President Donald Trump. He was approved with 79 votes in favor and 18 against. The U.S. Department of the Interior is responsible for managing and protecting most federal lands and natural resources. According to Reuters, Bergum, who is 68 years old, will oversee a department that manages the exploitation of 202 million acres of federal and tribal lands, which constitutes one-fifth of the United States. He is expected to pursue Trump's goal of maximizing energy production on public lands, particularly in oil-rich states like Wyoming and New Mexico. Doug Bergum, a wealthy executive in the software industry, describes himself as a 'traditional conservative' with a business mindset. During his confirmation hearing, he stated that he would expand oil and gas drilling rights through auctions and support streamlining the permitting process, which could accelerate the development of energy projects, including the installation of transmission lines. Bergum's statements indicate a significant shift in federal policies following the Biden administration, which sought to limit oil and gas drilling on federal lands and promote renewable energies like wind and solar as part of its climate change policies. Doug Bergum previously competed against Donald Trump in the Republican primary for the presidential nomination but became a supporter after withdrawing from the race. He is also considered a candidate to lead a new national council that will coordinate policies related to increasing energy production in the United States.