North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (R) walks across the stage at the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Tuesday, July 16, 2024.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) appears poised to take on an energy role in the next administration if former President Trump wins the White House.

Burgum, who was reportedly on Trump’s short list of potential running mates, was ultimately passed over in favor of Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio). But after he wasn’t selected for that role, Trump referred to him as “Mr. Secretary,” according to Burgum.

And during a primetime speech at the Republican Party convention last week, Burgum delivered a speech that focused largely on energy policy.

“Unleashing American energy dominance is our way back to prosperity and peace through strength,” Burgum told the crowd Wednesday. “Teddy Roosevelt encouraged America to speak softly and carry a big stick. Energy dominance will be the big stick that Trump carries.”

Trump has praised Burgum’s acumen publicly and privately, saying at a rally that Burgum “probably knows more about energy than anyone I know.”

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) told The Hill that “Donald Trump asked me over a year ago if I thought Doug Burgum would be a good Secretary of Energy.”

Cramer supported Burgum’s hopeless presidential candidacy at the time. But the senator now has his own idea for the role Burgum could play: energy tsar.

“It would be very helpful to have someone, either in the White House or in one of the agencies, charged with a strategic approach to energy development across the government,” Cramer said.

“If we want to take full advantage of everything Doug Burgum has to offer in terms of energy, we have to give him everything,” he added.

Burgum said earlier this year that he would not seek re-election as governor of North Dakota, a position he has held since 2016. In that role, he has set a goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2030 — not by reducing the use of fossil fuels, but by capturing and storing their carbon emissions.

Carbon capture has been met with skepticism from many in the environmental community, who question whether it can actually deliver the expected emissions results. Many have also raised safety concerns regarding the pipeline infrastructure used to transport the captured carbon.

In his own presidential campaign, Burgum highlighted energy as one of his top priorities, saying on his campaign website that he wanted to “drastically increase” energy production.

Outside of energy, he has signed major anti-transgender legislation and a law banning nearly all abortions in the state, positions that align him with hardliners in the conservative wing of the GOP.

Before his government role, Burgum worked in the tech sector, where he played a prominent role in a software company that was later acquired by Microsoft. He then worked at Microsoft as a senior vice president.

According to The Washington Post, the governor helped develop the Trump campaign’s energy policy and has met with oil industry donors.

“He has a very active Rolodex,” Cramer said. “I can’t imagine there’s an oil, gas or coal CEO on the continent who doesn’t know Doug Burgum very well.”

Frank Maisano, senior principal at law firm Bracewell, which has clients in both renewable energy and fossil fuel companies, said the industry would likely be happy to see Burgum in an energy role like the czar role Cramer described.

“The industry as a whole would be very happy with that, regardless of who they are,” he said, noting that Burgum “understands the energy sector.”

Trump has promised to “drill baby drill” if he wins back the White House. And while he has sometimes expressed support for “all-of-the-above” energy, the former president has also criticized renewable energy, particularly wind power.

Maisano said he believes Burgum would support an “all-in-one” strategy that includes renewables and fossil fuels.

“Someone like Doug Burgum who can go to the president and plead his case is a valuable role to me,” he said.

“Whether it’s renewables, gas, transmission or oil and coal, I think they would all have the opportunity to have their say and get a seat, and be able to talk to … the president through Governor Burgum,” he added.