White House axes land bureau pick after past Jan. 6 criticism
Sgamma speaks at an undated hearing. Photo courtesy Western Energy Alliance
The Trump administration has withdrawn the nomination of Kathleen Sgamma to be director of the Bureau of Land Management, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Mike Lee said Thursday.
Why it matters: The withdrawal of Sgamma, longtime president of the Western Energy Alliance, is a sudden setback for the White House hoping to lean on the land bureau to expand fossil fuel and mining leases.
Driving the news: Sgamma was scheduled to testify before Energy and Natural Resources on Thursday alongside two Energy Department nominees.
- Lee said he was informed just this morning that Sgamma's nomination had been withdrawn.
- "We accept her withdrawal and look forward to putting forth another nominee," said White House spokesperson Liz Huston.
Between the lines: The withdrawal comes two days after Sgamma's private comments from 2021 surfaced on X that she was "disgusted" by Trump "spreading misinformation" on the Jan. 6 attacks and "dishonoring the vote of the People."
- Sgamma didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.
- Sgamma contributed to the Interior chapter of Project 2025. Environmental groups vigorously opposed her nomination while industry associates avidly supported it.
What they're saying: "I am disappointed that we're not going have the opportunity to advance Kathleen Sgamma," Sen. Lisa Murkowski said.
- "Looking at her background and working with her over the years on the committee, she is, I think, very well qualified, and we were really counting on her to unlock some of the things that had been stalled out in the previous administration."
- But Taylor McKinnon of the Center for Biological Diversity said: "There's no doubt that Trump's next nominee will also be a poisonous threat to our wildlife and wild places, but this speed bump gives senators a chance to ponder whether they really want to feed America's public lands and monuments into the snapping jaws of the fracking and mining industries."
Editor's note: Updates with reaction from Sen. Lisa Murkowski.
Ben Geman contributed reporting.
