FOX NEWS • April 10, 2025
REI's CEO has publicly retracted the company's previous endorsement of President Trump's nominee for Secretary of the Interior - and issued an apology while doubling down on protecting public lands. After Trump began his second term, REI was part of the "Outdoor Recreation Roundtable" that sent a letter officially endorsing Burgum in January. Trump confirmed his nominee, Doug Burgum, as the secretary on Feb. 1. Burgum is an ultra-wealthy software industry entrepreneur and served two terms as governor of North Dakota. In a video message posted on REI's social media platforms on Wednesday, current REI CEO Mary Beth Laughton described the endorsement as a "mistake." She emphasized, "Our public lands are under attack from the gutting of national park staff to expanded threats of drilling or even selling off our public lands, the future of life outdoors has never felt so uncertain.”