The Senate confirmed Doug Burgum as interior secretary late Thursday after President Trump tapped the North Dakota billionaire to spearhead the Republican administration's ambitions to boost fossil fuel production. The vote was 79-18. More than half of Senate Democrats joined all 53 Republicans in voting for Burgum.

Burgum succeeds Deb Haaland, who cut back on oil and gas sales and prioritized solar and wind projects on federal lands.

The land in Utah owned by the federal government — about two-thirds of the state — is now under new management. The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as Secretary of the Interior by a vote of 79 to 18.

Emails obtained by The Associated Press reveal Doug Burgum as North Dakota governor catered to the whims of oil and gas executives while leveraging those connections to expand his political profile.

The Senate confirmed former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum in a bipartisan fashion to lead President Donald Trump’s Department of Interior Thursday evening. Senators overwhelmingly approved Burgum’s

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - The U.S. Senate officially confirmed Doug Burgum to be the 55th Secretary of the Interior. The final vote was 79 to 18. Burgum will now be in charge of overseeing the nation’s public lands, national parks, and wildlife refuges.

The Senate has voted 79-18 to confirm former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to serve as Interior Secretary in President Donald Trump's administration.

The Senate has confirmed former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as the next Secretary of Interior in a bipartisan vote, further cementing an energy dominance focus in the president’s cabinet.

Immediately after Doug Burgum's bipartisan confirmation for Interior Secretary, North Dakota's political leaders praised the vote, calling him the "right leader at the right time."

Doug Burgum will be the point person for public land management and President Trump’s “drill, baby, drill" agenda to expand oil and gas development.

Doug Burgum, a billionaire software industry entrepreneur, was confirmed as President Donald Trump’s new interior secretary on Thursday. Burgum abandoned his presidential campaign and quickly endorsed Trump in 2023. Trump has directed Burgum to tap into fossil fuel resources in the US, including from public lands.

President Donald Trump tapped Burgum, a billionaire software industry entrepreneur, to spearhead the administration’s ambitions to boost fossil fuel production.