Tribal nations are assessing President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks.
Potential Department of Interior lead Doug Burgum is of particular interest to Indigenous leaders. Cherokee Nation Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said collaboration is key to the position.
“When we’re talking about policies in any agency, whether it’s a healthcare agency, whether it’s a land management agency, an education agency, et cetera, those decisions don’t need to be made on top of tribes or handed down to tribes. They need to be made with tribes,” said Hoskin.
The DOI heads the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Burgum’s nomination has drawn praise from tribal leaders in North Dakota who note his collaborative abilities. Hoskin Jr. said this is a good sign.
“Well, one of the most important things to me is that tribal leaders in North Dakota, in that part of the country, have a degree of confidence in him. They have an experience working with him that’s positive,” Hoskin Jr. said.
There are some environmental worries about Burgum. North Dakota, where Burgum was governor, produces the third most crude oil of all U.S. states. But Burgum planned to make North Dakota carbon neutral by 2030 using capture technology. Hoskin Jr. said he wants to continue the climate change dialogue.
“I have some concerns about whether we’re going to continue to talk seriously in a science-based way about climate change,” Hoskin Jr. said.
If confirmed, Burgum would replace Deb Haaland who was the first Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary. The confirmation hearing for Burgum is set for Tuesday morning.
