Interior Secretary Unveils Sweeping Restructuring, Streamlining Interior Department Operations

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has been making headlines recently with a major restructuring initiative at the Department of the Interior. On April 23, 2025, the department implemented emergency permitting procedures aimed at strengthening domestic energy supply, with a particular focus on critical minerals.

The restructuring efforts, announced on April 21, include consolidation and centralization of several agency functions such as human resources, communications, contracting, IT, training and development, international affairs, and financial management. This reorganization follows President Trump's February executive order directing federal agencies to downsize.

Notably, the restructuring is being led by Tyler Hassen, the Assistant Secretary of Policy Management and Budget, who was temporarily appointed in March and reportedly has ties to Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Secretary Burgum's order grants Hassen significant oversight over the consolidation process, including control over funding, policy, and personnel decisions.

In describing the federal government's inefficiency, Burgum recently used a colorful analogy, comparing it to "a ranch that, where they threw everything in the barn for 100 years, and great grandpa and grampy never threw anything away." He contrasted the typical government approach of lengthy deliberation with his department's more decisive strategy: "What we're doing right now is emptying out the barn and deciding what should go back in. And what should go back in is what actually serves the American people."

The Interior Department has also been offering buyouts and early retirement incentives to its staff of nearly 70,000 employees as part of this downsizing effort. Employees had until March 26 to accept these offers, with separations required by May 31. The department received authority for these measures from the Office of Personnel Management as it prepares for expected reductions in force.

On April 24, Secretary Burgum visited the newly named Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge, where the Department of the Interior hosted a ceremony to officially commemorate the designation.

Looking ahead, Burgum has indicated that unleashing the nation's energy resources is central to his vision for the country's long-term prosperity. The department is simultaneously working on plans to build housing on federal lands, though with a reduced internal staff to carry out this initiative.

These sweeping changes at the Interior Department reflect the broader Trump administration priorities of right-sizing the federal workforce, cutting bureaucratic waste, and ensuring efficient use of taxpayer dollars while maintaining stewardship of America's natural and cultural resources.