Doug Burgum Heads to Hill to Defend Interior Department Budget
WASHINGTON — U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum will return to Capitol Hill today to defend President Donald Trump’s 2027 budget proposal before the House Natural Resources Committee.
His appearance comes days after the New York Times reported that the Trump Administration offered a no-bid contract to resurface and add a blue tint to the reflecting pool by the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Public Citizen has just issued a FOIA for more information on The contract. It was awarded for an astronomical sum of $13.1 million to a Virginia firm with ties to Trump’s properties. In response, Alan Zibel, research director with Public Citizen, issued the following statement:
“While the paint at the reflecting pool bubbles and flakes, Burgum will be back trying to defend Trump’s indefensible budget cuts to the Interior Department. As Trump blames Burgum for the shoddy work at one of the nation’s major landmarks, Burgum will continue to be the billionaire pool boy for fiasco after fiasco.
“As Interior Secretary, Burgum has been mostly focused on flying around the world, cosplaying as a junior secretary of state, appearing on television to tout Trump’s wars of choice. At home, Burgum has been undermining the Interior Department from the inside, slashing staff, derailing renewable energy and turning our national parks into right-wing propaganda shops. The National Mall, National Parks system, and our public lands deserve far better.”
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