David Bernhardt
David Longly Bernhardt (born August 17, 1969) is an American lawyer who served as the 53rd United States Secretary of the Interior from 2019 to 2021 in the administration of Donald Trump. He previously was a shareholder at the Colorado law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, where he was an oil and energy industry lobbyist and natural resources attorney. He began working for the United States Department of the Interior (DOI) in 2001, and served as the department's solicitor from 2006 to 2009 and deputy secretary from 2017 to 2019.
David Bernhardt | |
|---|---|
Bernhardt in 2019 | |
| 53rd United States Secretary of the Interior | |
| In office January 2, 2019 – January 20, 2021 Acting: January 2 – April 11, 2019 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Katharine MacGregor |
| Preceded by | Ryan Zinke |
| Succeeded by | Deb Haaland |
| 7th United States Deputy Secretary of the Interior | |
| In office August 1, 2017 – April 11, 2019 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Michael L. Connor |
| Succeeded by | Katharine MacGregor |
| Solicitor of the United States Department of the Interior | |
| In office October 5, 2006 – January 20, 2009 | |
| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Sue Ellen Wooldridge |
| Succeeded by | Hilary Tompkins |
| Personal details | |
| Born | David Longly Bernhardt August 17, 1969 Rifle, Colorado, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Gena Bernhardt |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Northern Colorado (BA) George Washington University (JD) |
President Donald Trump nominated Bernhardt to be the deputy secretary of the interior in April 2017. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on July 24, 2017, and sworn into office on August 1. He became acting secretary of the interior on January 2, 2019, following Ryan Zinke's resignation. Bernhardt was nominated to officially become Secretary of the Interior in February 2019 and was confirmed on April 11, 2019.