This is a developing story.
Update 11 a.m. Wednesday: Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced on his official social media pages at about 8:40 p.m. Tuesday he and Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom “will be going live on Facebook with an announcement later tonight,” but then canceled the announcement shortly after 10 p.m.
President-elect Donald Trump named several nominees and appointments to top posts on Tuesday, with more expected on Wednesday. Dunleavy is considered one of two leading contenders for U.S. Secretary of the Interior due to his support for large-scale expansion of oil drilling and other resource extraction activities in Alaska and elsewhere.
However, on Tuesday night — shortly before the post about an upcoming announcement — Dunleavy also posted a message X (formerly known as Twitter) that referenced Trump’s desire to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education.
“I support the concept of eliminating the US Department of Education,” Dunleavy wrote. “By doing so it would restore local control of education back to the states, reduce bureaucratic inefficiency and reduce cost. Long overdue.”
Dunleavy was at odds with a majority of the Alaska Legislature during the past session over state funding for schools by vetoing a bill containing an increase in the per-student formula, saying he wanted other goals such as more support for charter and home schools as part of a legislative package. He also proposed a bill that, among other things, imposed restrictions and parental notification requirements involving students identifying as something other than their birth-assigned gender.
Original story: Gov. Mike Dunleavy has discussed becoming the next U.S. Secretary of the Interior with members of President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team, the political news website NOTUS reported Monday evening.
The story cites “three sources familiar with the conversations.” Dunleavy has in recent months — and in response to multiple media inquiries since last Tuesday’s election — indicated he’s open to accepting a position with the Trump administration.
Trump offered post-election praise for Dunleavy in a video declaring an intention to accelerate development of the long-planned trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline, the Alaska Beacon reported Monday.
“Thank you to your great governor,” Trump said. “We’re going to work together just like we have in the past, and it was a very special relationship, Mike. Thank you very much. I look forward to a long and enduring future relationship.”
Dunleavy has also been at other Trump events and fundraisers in recent months, including a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden rally last month where the governor spent the majority of his time in a private box with Linda McMahon, co-chair of Trump’s transition team, according to NOTUS. The governor was also in Trump’s box during one night of the Republican National Convention this summer and a fundraiser in Texas co-hosted by billionaire Jeff Hildebrand last month.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma is also being considered for interior secretary, as well as the post of secretary of veterans affairs. Trump has already named numerous other cabinet nominees and staff members of his incoming administration.
Dunleavy is in the middle of his second term as governor and is not eligible to run for a third consecutive term. He would be the 55th interior secretary if he gets the job, replacing Deb Haaland who has held the post since March of 2021.
Replacing Dunleavy would be Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, with Maj. Gen. Torrence Saxe, commissioner of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, becoming lieutenant governor.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.
