Trump picks Doug Burgum as Interior Secretary

President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday that North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, a wealthy former software company executive, will be his nominee for Interior secretary.

“He’s going to run the Department of the Interior, and he’s going to be fantastic,” a tuxedo-clad Trump said at a gala at his Mar-a-Lago retreat in Florida, adding that he would make an official announcement on Friday.

Burgum, 68, has portrayed himself as a traditional, business-minded conservative. He ran against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination before resigning and becoming a loyal Trump supporter, appearing at fundraisers and advocating for Trump on television.

At the gala, which included tech billionaire Elon Musk, actor Sylvester Stallone and members of his incoming administration, Trump praised the latest members of his Cabinet and made some of his longest statements since his election victory speech. presidential.

“No one knew we were going to win the way we did,” Trump said.

He mocked Musk for his stay at Mar-a-Lago after the election. Musk participates in some of Trump’s meetings at the beachfront property.

“I can’t get him out of here. He loves it here. And I like having him here,” Trump said.

At the end of the event, Musk took the stage.

“The public has given us a mandate that could not be clearer. The people have spoken, the people want change,” he said.

Since his victory, Trump has tapped several inexperienced loyalists to key Cabinet posts, surprising some allies and making clear that he is serious about reshaping — and in some cases testing — U.S. institutions.

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