In a recent development from Billings, Montana, Kathleen Sgamma, President Donald Trump’s pick to helm the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management, withdrew her nomination. Her decision to withdraw came on the heels of resurfaced comments she made back in 2021, criticizing the former president for his involvement in instigating the January 6th Capitol riots.
The announcement of Sgamma’s withdrawal unfolded at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s confirmation hearing on Thursday morning. Former Interior Secretary under Trump, David Bernhardt, suggested on social media platform X that Sgamma’s decision was self-induced, citing a link to her earlier remarks. Bernhardt alluded that individuals who do not echo Trump’s perspectives might face challenges in securing political appointments within his administration.
Sgamma had previously stated, as reported by a watchdog journalism initiative, that she was appalled by the violence observed and Trump’s role in disseminating misinformation that led to it. She verified her withdrawal through LinkedIn, expressing honor for the nomination while reiterating her dedication to Trump’s agenda on energy and broad land access. She has been associated with the Western Energy Alliance, a Denver-based oil industry trade group, since 2006 and has been outspoken against the energy policies propagated by Democratic governments.
A White House representative, Liz Huston, conveyed hopes of introducing another nominee without providing a specific timeframe. Sgamma’s experience in the oil and gas sector seemed to complement Trump’s ambition to dismantle existing energy restrictions, especially in Western states with substantial public land holdings managed by the agency, including mining, grazing, and recreation.
Her withdrawal underscores the administration’s tendency to test loyalty and sideline those not aligned with Trump’s views, according to Aaron Weiss from the Center for Western Priorities. He remarked that the current political climate requires alignment with the White House’s stances to secure office positions.
Trump continues to challenge Republican support boundaries for his intensified “Make America Great Again” initiative. Only a few Republicans voiced criticism following his extensive pardons, including for individuals charged with Capitol riots. Congressional Republicans have generally downplayed Trump’s controversial measures, such as tariffs affecting U.S. allies, to emphasize party unity.
The Bureau of Land Management is pivotal in the ongoing discourse on federal land utilization, oscillating in policy with changes in the White House. Under Democrat President Joe Biden, the bureau curtailed federal land oil drilling and enhanced renewable energy, plus balanced conservation against oil extraction to mitigate climate change. Trump, however, is poised to shift the bureau’s direction once more.
Recent announcements highlighted no comprehensive environmental impact analyses for oil and gas leases covering approximately 5,500 square miles of bureau land across several states. These leases, sold between 2015-2020, have been ensnared in legal disputes. Additionally, Trump issued an executive order to bolster coal production, terminating Biden’s moratorium on new federal coal sales in Wyoming and Montana, notable coal regions.
At the start of Trump’s second term, the agency employed around 10,000 people, though workforce reductions resulted in significant layoffs or resignations, spurred by Trump’s federal workforce downsizing agenda. The agency notably lacked a confirmed director throughout Trump’s initial term, having temporarily relocated its headquarters from Washington D.C. to Colorado, before reverting under Biden.
Senate Energy Committee Chair, Mike Lee, pledged collaboration with the administration to identify a new bureau nominee. “The bureau’s operations hold significant sway over millions, particularly in the West, making its leadership critical,” stated the Utah Republican. Utah officials endeavored to wrest control of bureau lands from federal oversight to state jurisdiction last year, but were overruled by the U.S. Supreme Court.