By CASEY HARPER
With his latest cabinet nominations, President-elect Donald Trump promised to bring down the cost Americans pay for energy by expanding oil and gas production.
Trump named North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as secretary of the Interior as well as chairman of “the newly formed, and very important, National Energy Council.”
“As Chairman of the National Energy Council, Doug will have a seat on the National Security Council,” Trump said in a statement. “As Secretary of the Interior, Doug will be a key leader in ushering in a new ‘Golden Age of American Prosperity’ and World Peace.”
Trump wrote, “We will ’DRILL BABY DRILL,’ expand ALL forms of Energy production to grow our Economy, and create good-paying jobs,” he added. “By smartly utilizing our amazing National Assets, we will preserve and protect our most beautiful places, AND reduce our deficits and our debt!”
Trump said the new energy council will involve all parts of the federal government dealing with energy.
“This Council will oversee the path to U.S. ENERGY DOMINANCE by cutting red tape, enhancing private sector investments across all sectors of the Economy, and by focusing on INNOVATION over longstanding, but totally unnecessary, regulation,” Trump said. “With U.S. Energy Dominance, we will drive down Inflation, win the A.l. arms race with China (and others), and expand American Diplomatic Power to end Wars all across the World.”
As part of his Burgum pick and his nomination of fracking entrepreneur Chris Wright to lead the Department of Energy, Trump promised to get energy prices down.
“We will also undo the damage done by the Democrats to our Nation’s Electrical Grid, by dramatically increasing baseload power,” Trump said.
Trump also named William Owen Scharf as assistant to the President and White House Staff Secretary.
So far, Trump has pointed to the loyalty of his choices, saying how they endorsed him or helped him win reelection when announcing them as his choices.
“Will is a highly skilled attorney who will be a crucial part of my White House team. He has played a key role in defeating the Election Interference and Lawfare waged against me, including by winning the Historic Immunity Decision in the Supreme Court.”
Trump followed his electoral win with a flurry of cabinet picks, some expected and some that are sure to stir things up.
In particular, Trump’s picks of Robert F Kennedy Jr to lead the Department of Health and Human services, veteran and Fox News host Pete Hegseth to lead the Secretary of Defense, and former Congressman Matt Gaetz to lead the Department of Justice have sparked headlines.
More picks are on the way as Trump has to fill out positions across the federal government.
Whether Trump can get the Senate to confirm his nominees, especially the more controversial picks, remains to be seen.
Trump’s list of nominees so far include:
- North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as Secretary of the Interior.
- William Owen Scharf as Assistant to the President and White House Staff Secretary.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as head of U.S. Health and Human Services
- Former Congresswoman and veteran Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence.
- Former Congressman Doug Collins as Secretary of Veterans Affairs
- Jay Clayton as Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
- Former congressman Matt Gaetz for Attorney General.
- Veteran and Fox News host Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense.
- Veteran and former New York congressman Lee Zeldin as head of the Environmental Protection Agency.
- U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., as Secretary of State.
- Former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tom Homan as “border czar.”
- Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
- Former Congresswoman and current governor of South Dakota, Kristi Noem as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
- Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the “Department of Government Efficiency.
- William Joseph McGinley as White House Counsel.
- Steven C. Witkoff as Special Envoy to the Middle East.
- Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla. as national security advisor.
- Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel.
- Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. as ambassador to the U.N.
- Dean John Sauer as Solicitor General.
- Todd Blanche as Deputy Attorney General.
- Emil Bove as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General.
- Dan Scavino of the Trump campaign as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff.
- Susie Wiles, co-chair of the Trump campaign, as White House Chief of Staff.
- Stephen Miller as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor.
- James Blair of the Trump campaign as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative, Political and Public Affairs.
- Taylor Budowich of the Trump campaign as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Personnel.
Sadly, some of his picks in key areas will trigger his downfall. Unqualified, and extreme, he got rid of the people keeping him in check. Now, he’s a mad dog off the chain, out of control.
Greg, its all a matter of perspective.
Unqualified and extreme = outstanding, results oriented, high achievers.
People keeping him in check = feckless, deep-state, lap-dogs of lobbyists.
I agree, but on the matter of matt death, he is unqualified even if he wasn’t a partier with under age girls. He has very little legal experience. Most of his cases, which are about 7 end number, are either civil or misdemeanor cases. He also has a history of not paying his bar dues in the state of Florida and uh, multiple traffic violations on record.. he was warned by the Florida bar. Once four conduct unbecoming for which he has since walked back and apologized for. So yeah, he doesn’t have much experience as an attorney and certainly no felony cases? And he doesn’t like to follow the laws or rules. This all helps paint a picture. Of a person that I don’t think is qualified to be the next attorney general of the united states.
Matt Gaetz, not death. Spell check error.
You sure infatuated with smearing Matt Gaetz. Maybe one should let his family know, you may be liable for defamation of character just like Sunny Hostin on the view. She had to read a legal statement live on air after similar smearing. Don’t believe me there is a story on Gateway Pundit.
Hmmm, I will put my faith in a successfull business man and 45th president over anything you say. Sometimes things need to be shaken up and a new perspective on our problems. You do understand that the founding fathers never intended to have career politicians. What we have is a country whose course needs serious correcting. Not the same old do nothing characters in leadership.
I think Burghum and Wright are qualified and good picks. I wonder how lower prices will help Alaska. Looking back at 2018. Oil was averaging around $65 a barrel. The US rig count was at its highest during the Trump administration, over 1000 rigs. Alaska had 7 rigs operating in July of 2018. Currently in Alaska there are 14 operating coming off a period of record oil prices. The state budget predicts $76 a barrel for 2025 falling to $70 by 2033. I guess the question is how does Alaska compete at lower oil prices? The Permian Basin has been seeing record mergers and acquisitions the last two years. Shell abandoned their leases in Alaska. I think during confirmation our senators need to ask Burghum and Wright how their plans for oil development will affect Alaska. I think these guys are smart enough to understand the economics. Maybe it is a simple as just opening more land for leasing.
But wait!
What about the Alaska appointees?
Find one that doesn’t do a half a..ed job and he might think about one
I guess we just “appointed” Nick Begich. As to the appointment of state-level federal administrators, we’ve got to hope the upper-level appointments described in this article filter down ideologically.
Well we know Dan Sullivan is a “yes” vote for anybody……including Deb Halland.
We certainly wont forget that brain fart when his day comes around.
His endorsement of Murky will haunt him as well and may cost him his job.