Interior Secretary Doug Burgum encouraged Americans to explore the nation’s parks this summer before pivoting to energy prices during a Fox News appearance Sunday, telling viewers that drivers can save money by filling up their tanks in states that lean Republican.
Burgum appeared on Fox News’ Sunday Night in America to discuss renovation projects completed by the Trump administration at national parks and monuments. The conversation briefly touched on President Donald Trump’s claims of vandalism related to the refurbishment of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool before host Trey Gowdy shifted to a lighter topic.
Gowdy asked Burgum to identify a “hidden gem” within the National Park System or the nation’s monuments that more Americans should experience.
Rather than highlighting a specific destination, Burgum pointed to the vast areas of wilderness that many park visitors never see.
“I think one of the things, when people visit our parks and they’re visiting them in record numbers, they might say, ‘It’s kind of crowded right here,’” Burgum said.
He noted that roughly 95% of visitors never venture more than a quarter-mile from their vehicle or a road, leaving many of the country’s remote landscapes largely untouched.
“I think an interesting statistic is that we’ve got something like 95% of people that visit a park never get within a quarter of a mile away from their car or a road, and we have some of the most amazing untouched, unspoiled wilderness areas in the country,” Burgum said.
The Interior secretary encouraged Americans to spend more time exploring those less-traveled areas.
“I would encourage people to get out this summer, this year, and go visit one of these parks, you know, bring your shoes, go for a walk, walk for an hour and you’re going to find yourself in a spot where you can reflect on the amazing abundance of resources that we have in this country,” he said.
As the interview wrapped up, Burgum shifted the discussion from public lands to fuel costs, arguing that energy prices were moving lower under President Trump’s energy policies.
“My last thing, a piece of good news, I would tell people if you are concerned about the price of gas, it’s dropping again this week. President Trump in his energy policies are helping to lower the price of energy,” Burgum said.
He then offered viewers a tip about where they could find lower prices at the pump.
“If you’re going to gas up, here’s a tip: Gas up in a red state. On average nationally right now this weekend it’s 53 cents cheaper per gallon to fill up your car in a red state than it is in a blue state,” Burgum said.
The comments come as gasoline prices remain elevated following the U.S. conflict with Iran, which began in February and led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy shipments.
According to AAA, the national average price for gasoline has climbed to roughly $4 per gallon, with the highest prices concentrated along the West Coast.
NBC News reported Sunday that prices in California are approaching $6 per gallon. Drivers in Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon and Washington are paying around $5 per gallon, while states in the middle of the country continue to post the nation’s lowest gasoline prices.
Burgum’s appearance combined a call for Americans to explore the nation’s public lands with an argument that energy costs are improving, while drawing attention to the difference in average gasoline prices between red and blue states.
[READ MORE: Trump Has Power To Fire Executive Office Officials]
