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Interior Secretary Doug Burgum's 88-minute 'efficiency' speech

newsMay 8, 2026251

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum spent 88 minutes addressing Interior Department staff to promote administrative "efficiency." In the remarks Burgum recounted odd anecdotes, including trying to feed cinnamon Altoids to a Park Police horse at an event related to the NFL draft and invoking an "AI Teddy Roosevelt" example. Interior Department employees mocked the anecdotes and criticized the 88-minute duration as undercutting his efficiency message. The episode highlights tensions inside the department over Burgum's leadership style and the practical push to modernize Interior operations.

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