North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum expressed his gratitude to President-elect Donald Trump for appointing him to lead the Department of the Interior and chair the newly established National Energy Council. In a statement, Burgum thanked President Trump for the opportunity to serve the American people and work towards achieving energy dominance.
Burgum and his wife Kathryn were in attendance at the America First Policy Institute Gala where President Trump surprised attendees by announcing Burgum as his pick for the position. Prior to the event, Burgum engaged with the media, discussing the critical link between energy and national security, particularly in light of conflicts overseas and the competition with China in the realm of artificial intelligence.
During his remarks, Burgum highlighted the significance of energy resources in global conflicts, citing Russia and Iran as examples of countries using energy revenues to fund activities against the United States. He also criticized the Biden-Harris administration's approach to sanctions, suggesting that it had inadvertently boosted the adversaries' financial capabilities.
Furthermore, Burgum emphasized the importance of electricity in the race for dominance in artificial intelligence, noting that the availability of power would play a crucial role in determining the winners in this technological competition. He raised concerns about the state of the national power grid, stating that its reliability had declined over the past four years.
