President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Bureau of Land Management, an agency responsible for overseeing vast public lands, has withdrawn her nomination after it was revealed that she had criticized Trump in 2021 for inciting the January 6 Capitol attack.
Kathleen Sgamma, the nominee, stepped down just as her confirmation hearing was about to begin on Thursday with the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. David Bernhardt, who served as Interior Secretary during Trump’s first term, criticized Sgamma’s decision to withdraw, calling it “self-inflicted” and sharing a link to her comments from 2021. He suggested that individuals whose views don’t align with Trump should avoid seeking positions in his administration.
Sgamma’s 2021 statement condemned the violence that occurred on January 6 and placed blame on Trump for spreading misinformation, which she believed contributed to the attack. These remarks were first reported by Documented, a watchdog journalism group.
A long-time representative of the oil and gas industry, Sgamma was seen as someone who would support Trump’s goal of loosening energy restrictions, particularly in the Western U.S. where the Bureau of Land Management manages large areas of land. The agency also handles other land uses like mining, grazing, and recreation.
Her withdrawal highlights what critics argue is a “loyalty test” within the Trump administration, where those who disagree with Trump’s views are pushed aside. Aaron Weiss from the Center for Western Priorities commented that if simply acknowledging reality leads to a nomination failure, it’s a troubling sign.
The Bureau of Land Management has long been at the center of debates about land use in the U.S. Its policies often shift dramatically depending on whether a Republican or Democrat holds the presidency. Under President Biden, the agency restricted oil drilling and coal mining while supporting renewable energy development. In contrast, Trump has taken steps to undo those policies. Recently, his administration announced it would no longer require in-depth environmental reviews for oil and gas leases on public land in several Western states, and Trump signed an order to restart federal coal sales in Wyoming and Montana.
When Trump began his second term, the Bureau of Land Management employed around 10,000 people, but at least 800 workers have been laid off or resigned due to efforts to reduce the federal workforce. During Trump’s first term, the agency went without a confirmed director for years, and Trump moved its headquarters to Colorado, though it was later relocated back to Washington, D.C., under Biden.
Senator Mike Lee of Utah, chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, made the announcement of Sgamma’s withdrawal and emphasized that leadership at the Bureau of Land Management is important, especially for Western states. He pledged to work with the administration to find a new nominee.
Sgamma’s withdrawal comes at a time when Utah is pushing to take control of Bureau of Land Management lands, a move that was recently blocked by the U.S. Supreme Court.
This situation underscores Trump’s ongoing effort to gauge how far Republicans are willing to go in supporting his “Make America Great Again” agenda. While many Republicans have not criticized Trump, even after he pardoned the January 6 rioters, the party remains largely unified behind his leadership.
