Emails obtained by The Associated Press reveal Doug Burgum as North Dakota governor catered to the whims of oil and gas executives while leveraging those connections to expand his political profile.

Doug Burgum will be the point person for public land management and President Trump’s “drill, baby, drill" agenda to expand oil and gas development.

In addition to running the Interior Department, Doug Burgum will also serve as energy czar and chair of a White House energy council.

Burgum, 68, will lead an agency that guides the use of 500 million acres (202 million hectares) of federal and tribal land, a fifth of the nation's surface area. He is expected to pursue Trump's goal of maximizing energy and mineral production on public lands,

The North Dakota governor will oversee agencies that administer policy on Native American affairs, national parks and energy leases.

It came hours after he announced he was immediately appointing Christopher Rocheleau, a 22-year veteran of the agency, in the wake of the deadly plane crash in Washington. "He's a very capable guy," Trump said of Rocheleau as he signed the order.

Emails obtained by the Associated Press reveal Doug Burgum as North Dakota governor aided oil and gas executives and leveraged connections to boost his profile.

Burgum succeeds Deb Haaland, who cut back on oil and gas sales and prioritized solar and wind projects on federal lands.

Former North Dakota governor Doug Burgum has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the next Secretary of the Interior.

The Senate has voted 79-18 to confirm former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to serve as Interior Secretary in President Donald Trump's administration.

The US Senate on Thursday confirmed Donald Trump's pick to lead the Interior Department, a role that oversees the nation's vast public lands and waters that are vital to the