Trump official rips Americans who care about public land: 'Financially illiterate'

[riversedge]

Source: raw story


David Edwards March 11, 2026 2:39PM ET


Interior Secretary Doug Burgum dismissed environmentalists' concerns by telling investment firm BlackRock that people who want to protect public lands were not "financially literate."

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"Congress has been enabled to pass permitting reform legislation," the host said. "What can the administration do to streamline this process from your perspective?"
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"You know, all the people that are trying to stop activity on federal lands, you don't understand the financial impact of it. I mean, all of you are financially literate, wouldn't it be great if we could have the world be a little more financially literate?" he added. "When we have the prior president, you know, with a stroke of a pen, take six and a half million acres of prime offshore, you know, out of, out of the things, legally not holding lease sales, but then separately says, this is like a marine sanctuary. We were able to reverse that."......................

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/burgum-financially-literate/?utm_source=front-sidebar-watch

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Trump official rips Americans who care about public land: 'Financially illiterate'

www.rawstory.com/burgum-finan...

— (@oceancalm.bsky.social) 2026-03-11T21:44:09.330Z

Trump official rips Americans who care about public land: 'Financially illiterate'
U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum speaks during the 2026 Infrastructure Summit of government officials, corporate executives, and labor leaders, in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 11, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper

[groundloop]

1. Those bastards have never figured out that there's more to life than money

And their ignorant greed is hurting the planet that they share with the rest of us.

[walkingman]

3. They will do anything for a dollar - they are destroying the planet and don't care at all.

And yet we continue to elect these nasty bastards because most of America has the same worldview.

[graycampervan]

16. OUR land

The land they are trying destroy/sell off doesn't belong to them, it belongs to all of us! These rich fucks can fly all over the world, THIS land is OUR land!

[Oneironaut]

18. Yup. They're in a bubble and so far up their own asses.

Nothing is of any value to them if it doesn't make them money, including human life. They are barely even human anymore. They can't even perceive of life 5 years into the future. Just short-term Me Me Me thinking and hoarding wealth to try and fill the hole in their hearts that will never be filled.

They think wanting to see the stars is stupid. They think a passion for exploring new places and enjoying the beauty of nature is pointless - get back to work peon! What an utterly sad existence devoid of any meaning.

[UpInArms]

2. If there's a river, well dam it

If there’s a tree, we’ll ram it …

We’re talking progress here!

(Dennis Hopper in Waterworld)

[2naSalit]

4. It's the biosphere, stupid!

JFC!

[hvn_nbr_2]

5. What he really means: Money is the only value, greed is the only virtue.

To him, "financially illiterate" means that money isn't the only thing you value and greed is not your only motivation.

[OldBaldy1701E]

35. Which is something alien to them.

But hey, we have been worshiping that green piece of paper for a long while now.

I doubt that they will change overnight.

Unless something happens to remove their position. Or the thing that fives them that position.

Hmm....

[sakabatou]

6. Financially illiterate, while defending a POS who bankrupted casinos

[BaronChocula]

7. Public lands are largely used for hunting and fishing

But go ahead and "punish" the coastal elites.

[Nigrum Cattus]

13. No, it is primarily used for recreation

and worthless republicant's / billionaires hate
that any of us can enjoy time to relax

[BaronChocula]

21. FYI...

Hunting and fishing are just 2 examples of recreational activities. And I didn't say "primarily." I said "largely." The gist of my comment was that a large chunk of public land users engage in RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES that appeal to the very types who support those who want to sell off public lands. In other words this is another example of republicans voting against their interests. So just to clarify, if you see someone hunting or fishing, they are actually engaging in recreational activities. And no, I'm not saying that only republicans enjoy hunting and fishing.

I could quote Lee Brice and other country artists to demonstrate the hunting/fishing cultural link, but it's close to dinnertime.

Public Lands in California offer a wide variety of recreational opportunities, including hunting, fishing and recreational target shooting.

https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-programs/recreational-shooting/california

[gfarber]

8. Environmentalist Literacy

There once was a Burgum named Doug,
Who spoke to financiers with a shrug.
“Those saving the land
Just don’t understand—
Their balance sheets clearly are smug.”

In a ballroom of BlackRock and light,
Where spreadsheets glowed ghostly and bright,
He said with a grin,
“Let the drilling begin—
Your literacy’s purely… not quite.”

Some folks cried, “Protect every shore!”
While seagulls screamed over the roar.
Doug twirled a pen slow:
“Six million? Or so.
Let markets decide what it’s for.”

The activists scribbled in rage,
While Doug held the floor like a stage.
“Your math doesn’t scan—
You must not understand
The gospel of barrels per page.”

And the ocean rolled dark in the night,
With accountants debating its right.
Was a reef worth its keep?
Could a pelican sleep
On a ledger that balanced just right?


© 2026 Glen Farber. All Rights Reserved.

https://buymeacoffee.com/gfarber

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

9. Not everything is about money Burgum, you fucking pig.

[liberalgunwilltravel]

10. Doug

You’re another who will spend the rest of your miserable life in hiding when this administration is removed.

[Baitball Blogger]

11. Step down and go sell clown shoes, you pedophile buffoon!

[Nasruddin]

12. "financially literate"

What does that even mean?
It sounds like gibberish in the context it was used.

Is this another negative IQ Trump servant?

[Seinan Sensei]

31. Burgum needs to become "human-literate"

That boy just ain’t right

[Mysterian]

14. Bring back the guillotine

These people are the enemies of everything good.

[not fooled]

15. Environmentally illiterate sociopath

Congrats idiots who facilitated installing this criminal syndicate. Give them ten years and they'll have stripped the nation of all public assets.

[Exp]

17. 24-7 ASSHOLES. nt

[Figarosmom]

19. Of course it all boils down to finance with him.

I bet he can't even see anything for it's own beauty if it doesn't have a monetary value to it.

[bluestateboomer]

20. I don't remember the exact quote

But it's something like, "People who know the price of everything and the value of nothing."

[tonekat]

22. He has forgotten he's supposed to serve the people

Not trump and the rest of the greedheads. Insubordination! Fire him immediately!

[Mysterian]

25. The concept of public service escaped the republican party long ago

"Greed is good."

-- Ronald Reagan

[Martin68]

23. It means Trump is patriotically illiterate.

[SpankMe]

24. Bro's a pure asshole

An unrealized gain isn't the same thing as a loss.

[Mblaze]

26. He's Secretary of the Interior of oligarch's pockets

[Deuxcents]

27. These people have been confirmed by Congress for their positions and yet, in each agency we have ...

Anti public education person in our Department of Education. Anti environment in the Interior Department. Anti labor in our Labor Department. All of our many departments and agencies are unqualified and most have no experience or idea of how to run national government or even care to protect what they’ve sworn to protect. This administration is tearing us apart from the inside out with no oversight or accountability. We’re going bankrupt borrowing 50 Billion dollars a day so our infrastructure and social services will not have funds for the future but we’re the ones being called “financially illiterate”

[ancianita]

28. All you need to know about this civics illiterate asshole's part in the felon ongoing nationwide grift :..

"When we have the prior president, you know, with a stroke of a pen, take six and a half million acres of prime offshore, you know, out of, out of the things, legally not holding lease sales, but then separately says, this is like a marine sanctuary. We were able to reverse that."

[chouchou]

29. Ignorant, stupid, dangerous man.

[Kablooie]

30. The only thing of value for a human being is a number in a bank account.

Trump and his cronies see the number in their bank account as the only measure of human value.
It’s not about having money to buy things.
Buying things is only a way to show off how big that number is.
It’s simply that number in the account. The bigger it is, the more value you have as a person.

[bobalew]

32. He's a direct descendant of the sculptur of mount Rushmore

That's about it... As far as any literacy goes, he's ethically illiterate, along with a bit of scientific luddititry..

[sinkingfeeling]

33. No, it would be great if the world was environmentally literate.

[Bo Zarts]

34. There is not a big enough FUCK YOU in my repertoire to respond to this asshole.