Interior Secretary Doug Burgum recently emphasized America’s vast mineral and energy resources during an interview with Breitbart’s Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle, framing these assets as critical to national security and economic dominance. Burgum highlighted federal control over , plus , which he claims hold untapped resources worth up to —nearly triple the national debt. This “balance sheet” approach aims to leverage America’s natural wealth to counter China’s global influence and secure energy independence.
### Key Strategies for Resource Development
Burgum outlined the Trump administration’s to unlock these resources:
– : Accelerate oil and gas production to reduce reliance on foreign energy.
– : Use advanced geological surveys to identify domestic mineral deposits.
– : Revive the U.S. mining industry to end dependence on Chinese critical minerals like lithium and antimony.
– : Expand power infrastructure (nuclear, coal, hydro) to support AI development and data centers, calling electricity “the fundamental foundation for all sectors of the economy”.
### National Security and China Competition
Burgum warned that China’s rapid expansion of coal and nuclear plants threatens U.S. leadership in the AI race, stating: “If we lose the AI arms race to China, that’s got direct impacts on our national security”. He criticized Biden-era regulations for delaying projects like a copper mine seeking permits for , contrasting this with Trump’s “whole of government” deregulatory push through the .
### Tribal and Environmental Concerns
While Burgum’s policies prioritize resource extraction, critics note accelerated mining and drilling on federal and Tribal lands, including the sacred Black Hills (Ȟesápa) of the Lakota people. Recent moves to relax environmental standards, such as treating lithium mining like sand/gravel extraction in South Dakota, have sparked backlash from Indigenous and environmental groups.
Burgum’s vision aligns with Trump’s broader agenda to position energy as a geopolitical tool, leveraging America’s natural assets to reclaim economic supremacy and counter adversaries like China.
