Burgum and Trump at Republican National Convention. Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images
President-elect Donald Trump said tonight he plans to nominate North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to be Interior secretary.
Why it matters: Burgum will be central to the incoming administration's energy agenda and its plans to expand oil and gas leasing.
It was widely speculated he would either become an "energy czar" in Trump's White House or be nominated for a Cabinet post.
Driving the news: Trump, during remarks this evening at Mar-a-Lago, said he plans to make a formal announcement of the pick tomorrow.
Burgum ran an unsuccessful energy-centric campaign for president. He talked up both fossil fuels and various forms of clean energy.
"Low-cost, reliable clean energy, which we make in the U.S. better than anywhere in the world ... this is the thing that allows our economy to thrive," he told Axios last year.
Between the lines: If confirmed, Burgum would also play a role in Trump's efforts to stall out offshore wind development.
