Connect with us

North Dakota

Port: Doug Burgum now campaigning to be Trump's secretary of state

Published

on

Port: Doug Burgum now campaigning to be Trump's secretary of state


MINOT — “He doesn’t want to be pigeonholed as just an agriculture and energy guy, I’m told, though that’s a natural reflection of where he’s been doing his governing,” I wrote in a column over the weekend, referring to Gov. Doug Burgum’s ongoing campaign to be a part of the Donald Trump administration.

Now that his presidential and vice presidential campaigns are over, having ended unsuccessfully, it’s been widely expected that Burgum will get a cabinet posting. And the most talked about positions, given that he’s the governor of North Dakota, where agriculture and energy are the dominant economic drivers, are Secretary of Agriculture or Secretary of Energy.

But that’s not where Burgum is pointing himself. “Burgum has his eyes set higher, perhaps on one of the top-tier seats,” I wrote. “Secretary of state? Secretary of the Treasury?”

According to a report from Axios today,

Advertisement

“Former President Trump’s two veep runners-up, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, are in the running for secretary of state.”

The other names mentioned in the article for that post are Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee and Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, though the latter is said to prefer Secretary of Defense.

The State Department does make some sense for Burgum. It does jibe with the themes of his own presidential campaign, which were all about using America’s prodigious economic might — of which energy and agriculture are a not insubstantial part — as a lever in world diplomacy. After all, that’s the game China and Russia are playing.

Of course, for Burgum or any other Republican to get an appointment, Trump has to actually win the election, and that’s looking like a far less certain thing than it did a couple of weeks ago. The polls have shown that Vice President Kamala Harris has closed the deficit incumbent President Joe Biden had against Trump in the polls and some of the latest polling has her

opening a small lead.

Advertisement

This talk of which Republican will get which post in a second Trump administration smacks of some premature drape-measuring.

Still, it wouldn’t be surprising that Trump would be deeply concerned about who staffs his cabinet. Moreso, even, than the typical presidential candidate, given that dozens of people who served in his previous administration, including those who filled top-level positions like secretary of defense and secretary of state, now oppose his reelection.

“Trump constantly tells friends he felt burned by disloyal Cabinet officials and staff last time around,”

Axios reports.

“This time, he wants people he can trust both to implement his policies and never block his will.”

Advertisement

Trump doesn’t want a “team of rivals,” in other words. He wants sycophants and yes-men.

And Burgum,

with all the bowing and scraping he’s done since ending his own presidential campaign,

has positioned himself perfectly for the gig.

Advertisement
Rob Port is a news reporter, columnist, and podcast host for the Forum News Service with an extensive background in investigations and public records. He covers politics and government in North Dakota and the upper Midwest. Reach him at rport@forumcomm.com. Click here to subscribe to his Plain Talk podcast.





Source link

North Dakota

PHOTOS: Long Beach State vs. North Dakota State, Softball

Published

on

PHOTOS: Long Beach State vs. North Dakota State, Softball


The562’s coverage of Long Beach State athletics for the 2025-26 season is sponsored by Marilyn Bohl.

Long Beach State hosted North Dakota State on March 10 where they suffered a 5-2 loss. Freshman Nina Sepulveda had two hits in the loss. Long Beach State will resume Big West play this weekend when they travel to UC Riverside for a three-game series starting Friday, March 13.





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

North Dakota

Four area players land on North Dakota Division A all-state team

Published

on

Four area players land on North Dakota Division A all-state team


GRAND FORKS — Four area athletes were selected to the North Dakota Division A all-state girls basketball team, which was released by the North Dakota High School Coaches Association on Tuesday.

The North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association will release all-state teams later this month.

Thompson’s Addison Sage led the way as a first team all-state pick, as well as receiving the division’s Outstanding Senior Athlete honor. Her coach, Jason Brend, was the Coach of the Year.

All-state second team choices from the area are Devils Lake junior Tylie Brodina, Four Winds-Minnewaukan sophomore Suri Gourd and Thompson senior Kya Hurst.

Advertisement

Sage, a 5-foot-6 guard, averaged 22.3 points per game, 3.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.2 steals per game. Sage has more than 1,900 career points and holds the Tommies’ all-time scoring record.

Brodina, a 5-8 guard, averaged 18.8 points and 2.6 steals per game. She shot 82 percent from the foul line and 32 percent from 3-point range.

Hurst, a 5-6 forward, averaged 16.3 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. She added 3.7 steals and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 39.5 percent from 3-point range. Hurst has scored more than 1,600 points and grabbed more than 840 rebounds in her career.

Gourd, a 5-8 guard, averaged 26.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 4.4 steals per game. Gourd has more than 1,600 career points in her career with two more seasons to play.

Gourd led Four Winds-Minnewaukan from a 5-17 record last season to a 16-8 mark this year.

Advertisement
Miller has covered sports at the Grand Forks Herald since 2004 and was the state sportswriter of the year in 2019 (NSMA, NDAPSSA), 2022 (NSMA, NDAPSSA), 2024 (NDAPSSA) and 2025 (NDAPSSA).

His primary beat is UND football but also reports on a variety of UND sports and local preps.

He can be reached at (701) 780-1121, tmiller@gfherald.com or on Twitter at @tommillergf.





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

North Dakota

Annabelle Weber

Published

on

Annabelle Weber


Funeral Mass for Annabelle Weber, 95, of Dickinson will be 10:00 AM, Thursday, March 12, 2026 at Queen of Peace Church with Msgr. Thomas Richter celebrating. Burial will follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Dickinson. Visitation will be from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson, with Rosary and Vigil service taking place at 6:00 PM. Annabelle passed away Friday, March 6, 2026 at St. Benedict’s Health Center, Dickinson. Annabelle S. Weber was born on December 8, 1930, in Killdeer, North Dakota, to Frank and Eva (Kowis) Schmalz. She grew up in Killdeer and graduated from Killdeer High School in 1947. At the age of 17, Annabelle began working at Zimbrich’s Department Store in Killdeer. She later moved to Dickinson, where she worked at S&L in retail sales and spent many years at Kessel’s Bridal Shop. While working at the Esquire Steak House, she met Gerald Weber, the love of her life. The couple was united in marriage on November 1, 1954, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Dickinson, where they made their home and built their life together. Annabelle was a woman who loved staying busy and caring for her family and home. She enjoyed hunting and fishing, along with hobbies such as crafts, sewing, and gardening. She was well known for keeping an immaculate home and took great pride in caring for those around her. Faith was an important part of her life. She joined the Catholic Daughters in 1957 and was active in church circles, often helping with funeral dinners and parish gatherings. Annabelle’s greatest joy was her family. Annabelle is survived by her sons, Greg (Barbara) Weber of Grand Forks, Russ (Rhonda) Weber of Dickinson; daughter, Sharon (Tony) Allen of Andover, MN; nine grandchildren, Christi (Ryan), Tiffani (Tim), Shane (Kayla), Tonya (Adam), Samantha (Scott), Kevin, Tracey (Analisa), Stacie, Tyler; 15 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Eva Schmalz; husband, Gerald Weber; siblings, William (Evelyn) Schmalz, Elaine (John) Buresh, and Vernon (Dolores) Schmalz; and daughter-in-law, Coleen Weber (Krance). Remembrances and condolences can be shared at www.stevensonfuneralhome.com.





Source link

Continue Reading

Trending