Increasingly troubling accounts continue to surface about something we kind of really knew all along, and that is just how ill-equipped the Biden administration was to govern from the get-go. Much more energy, it seems, went into propping up the public image of a likely ailing president and obsessively undoing Trump-era policies than performing the basic functions of government. Key decisions were apparently delegated to unelected, agenda-driven underlings and/or left to the autopen.
One of the clearest examples of this dysfunction is the overall state of the Department of the Interior—the agency responsible for managing federal lands, natural resources, and fulfilling trust responsibilities to American Indian tribes and Alaska Natives. By many accounts, some, of course, biased but some not, the department was left in a rudderless state of disarray after the extreme leftist agenda-enacting that went on there during the Biden years.
Among the most damaging was the administration’s attack on America’s energy sector. Through executive action, the Biden folks halted new oil and gas leasing, crippling domestic production and undermining our energy independence.
Worse, the decision to halt approvals for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports dealt a severe blow to our energy economy and weakened one of America’s most potent geopolitical tools. The export pause, announced in January 2024—just months after Biden struggled to recall key personal and professional dates in a public interview—sent shockwaves through the energy sector.
The numbers speak for themselves: In 2023, LNG exports supported over 220,000 jobs and added $43.8 billion to the U.S. GDP. The ban was not just economically harmful—it was a national security liability, ceding strategic ground to global competitors. A federal judge ultimately blocked the policy, noting the administration failed to consider its grave consequences. President Trump wisely reversed the ban by executive order on his first day back in office.
As the department and the nation rebuild from the harm of the Biden era, the able Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has a massive task ahead. During his confirmation hearing, senators from both parties pressed him to address issues ranging from park protection to public safety to the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous persons—issues that the last administration too often ignored.
While revitalizing U.S. energy production is essential, Burgum will likely get nowhere without first completing a house-cleaning: rescind flawed Biden-era policies, remove staff beholden to special interests, and restore a culture of competence and accountability—all while working within a leaner budget. Burgum’s experience as both a successful businessman and governor has shown he can deliver results efficiently. But of course, personnel is policy, and he must ensure he has the right people in the right positions to do the right things.
On that note, it’s essential to get leaders like Billy Kirkland, the nominee for assistant secretary of Indian Affairs, confirmed. Kirkland, a strong conservative who served as special assistant to the president and deputy director of Intergovernmental Affairs in the first Trump administration, is well-equipped to manage the crucial relationship between tribal nations and the federal government. He’ll also be instrumental in supporting President Trump’s and Secretary Burgum’s efforts to unleash American energy while addressing the challenges facing Indian Country.
The assistant secretary for Indian Affairs plays a pivotal role in supporting tribal sovereignty. Confirming a nominee aligned with Trump’s vision is critical to replacing the federal government’s outdated, paternalistic policies with a framework that empowers tribes and respects their self-governance.
Beyond Kirkland, Burgum must fill the ranks at Interior with qualified, mission-driven professionals who will help root out entrenched special interests. Under Biden, the department often catered to politically connected groups at the expense of sound policy. For example, although Biden began his term by promising stronger tribal consultation, his administration later ignored tribal voices—especially when it came to permitting decisions that affected their lands.
I fixate on Kirland because perhaps the most egregious example of the above came late in Biden’s term, when the Bureau of Indian Affairs approved controversial, partisan casino deals that violated local laws and pitted tribes against one another. These approvals—granted as political favors—betrayed the very principle of consultation and undermined trust in the federal government. In many cases, they went against the wishes of local communities, which had overwhelmingly opposed such special interest-driven arrangements.
If Secretary Burgum moves swiftly to reverse these sorts of missteps, he can enact real, lasting reform. But delay will only allow Biden-era dysfunction to linger and stall progress. As the great, recently departed Michael Ledeen would say, faster, please.
This is a rare opportunity to truly make America great again—by restoring American energy independence and rebuilding trust in our institutions. It starts by cleaning house, and there’s no better example of the urgency to do so than at our Department of the Interior.
Editor’s Note: The Deep State is working overtime to subvert President Trump’s agenda and the will of the people.
Help PJ Media continue to tell the truth about the efforts of unelected career government officials working against the American people. Join PJ Media VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.
