Trump Taps Doug Burgum To Lead Department Of The Interior

President-elect Donald Trump announced his plan Thursday to nominate Republican North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to head the Department of the Interior.

During his speech at the Mar-a-Lago Gala, Trump confirmed his plan of picking Burgum to lead the Department of the Interior. He will officially announce it Friday. Trump praised Burgum as a strong choice to oversee America’s vast natural resources, energy policy, and federal lands.

“We have a big announcement. I won’t tell you his exact name. I think he’s an incredible person, [he’s] got an unbelievably wonderful wife named Catherine. So I won’t tell you his name. It might be something like Burgum, Burgum. He’s from North Dakota,” Trump said.

WATCH:

The appointment is anticipated to reflect Trump’s broader vision to “do things with energy and with land interior” that would further bolster domestic energy development while managing the country’s federal lands effectively.

“I look forward to doing the formal announcement, although this is a pretty big announcement right now. Actually he’s going to head the Department of Interior, and he’s going to be fantastic. Good luck. Congratulations Catherine,” Trump continued.

Burgum was among Trump’s picks to lead key positions in the government. Trump revealed Thursday that he’s placing two attorneys from his New York hush money trial in key Justice Department roles. Todd Blanche will serve as deputy attorney general, and Emil Bove will become principal associate deputy attorney general, with both expected to guide Justice Department policy and oversee major agencies. (RELATED: ‘Will Joe Biden And The Democrats Accept The Results?’: Doug Burgum Snaps Back At NBC Host Over Election Results)

Trump also tweeted Thursday that he intends to nominate Robert Kennedy Jr. to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy, who initially launched a third-party presidential bid before endorsing Trump in August, is expected to focus on restoring federal health agencies to standards of rigorous scientific research and transparency to tackle the nation’s chronic disease crisis.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.