North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) appears poised to step into an energy-related role in the next administration if former President Trump wins the White House.
Burgum, who was reportedly on the short list of Trump's potential running mates, was ultimately passed over in favor of Sen. JD Vance (Ohio). But after he wasn't selected for that role, Burgum said Trump called him “Mr. Secretary.”
And, during a prime-time speech at the Republican National Convention this past week, Burgum gave a speech that focused largely on energy policy.
“Unleashing American energy dominance is our path back to prosperity and peace through strength,” Burgum told the crowd on Wednesday. “Teddy Roosevelt encouraged America to speak softly and carry a big stick. Energy dominance will be the big stick that Trump will carry.”
Trump has publicly and privately praised Burgum’s acumen, saying at a rally that Burgum “probably knows more about energy than anybody I know.”
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) told The Hill that “over a year ago, Donald Trump asked me if I thought Doug Burgum would be a good energy secretary.”
At the time, Cramer was supporting Burgum’s long-shot presidential bid. But the senator now has his own idea for the role that Burgum could play: energy czar.
“To have somebody, either in the White House or or at one of the agencies that is charged with [an] all-of-government strategic approach to energy development would make a lot of sense,” Cramer said.
“If we want to take full advantage of all that Doug Burgum could offer in the area of energy, we should give it all to him,” he added.
Burgum said earlier this year that he won’t seek reelection as North Dakota's governor, a position he has held since 2016. In that role, he has set a goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2030 — not by reducing the use of fossil fuels, but by capturing and storing their carbon emissions.
Carbon capture has met with skepticism from many in the environmental community, who have raised questions about whether it will actually be able to deliver its expected emissions outcomes. Many have also raised concerns about safety related to the pipeline infrastructure used to transport the captured carbon.
In his own presidential campaign, Burgum emphasized energy as one of his top priorities — saying he wanted to "dramatically increase energy production" on his campaign website.
Outside the energy space, he has signed significant anti-transgender legislation and a law banning nearly all abortions in the state into law, positions that put him in line with the hardline conservative wing of the GOP.
Prior to his government role, Burgum worked in tech, playing a prominent role in a software company that was later acquired by Microsoft. He then worked at Microsoft as senior vice president.
The governor has helped develop the Trump campaign’s energy policy and been speaking with oil industry donors, according to The Washington Post.
“He's got a very active Rolodex,” Cramer said. “I can't imagine there's an oil or gas or coal CEO anywhere on the continent that doesn't know Doug Burgum really well.”
Frank Maisano, senior principal at law and advocacy firm Bracewell, whose clients include both renewable both fossil and renewable energy companies, said that industry would likely be pleased seeing Burgum in an energy role like the czar position Cramer described.
“Industry at large would be pretty happy with that no matter who they were,” he said, noting that Burgum “understands the energy industry.”
Trump has pledged to “drill baby drill” if he wins back the White House. And while he sometimes touts support for “all-of-the-above” energy, the former president has also criticized renewable power — especially wind.
Maisano said he believes that Burgum would support an “all-of-the-above” strategy that includes renewables and fossil fuels.
“To have someone like Doug Burgum who can go to the President and make a case, I think, is a valuable role,” he said.
“Whether it's renewables, whether it's gas, whether it's transmission or whether it's oil and coal, I think they would all have a chance to weigh in and have a seat, and being able to talk to …the president through through Governor Burgum,” he added.
