US President Donald Trump has once again come into controversy regarding his statement. On Thursday (January 29, 2026), he publicly said that he appointed Doug Burgum as America’s Interior Secretary because he found his wife Katherine Burgum good and beautiful. As soon as this statement came to light, sharp reactions started in political and social circles.

According to the report of Independent, Trump made this comment during an event in the Oval Office. That event was organized for the signing of an executive order related to combating drug addiction. Doug Burgum and his wife Katherine Burgum were also present on this occasion. At the end of the program, Trump said this, which many people called insensitive and irresponsible.

BREAKING: Trump just claimed that he hired Doug Burgum because he was attracted to his wife. What an awkward moment.

“I saw them riding horses in a video. And I said, ‘Who is that?’ I was talking about her, not him. I said, ‘I’m gonna hire her,’ because anybody that has… pic.twitter.com/BE7BqEql0T

— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) January 29, 2026

The story started from the campaign video

Donald Trump told that he saw Doug and Katherine Burgum for the first time in a campaign-style video. In that video, Katherine Burgum was seen riding on a horse. According to Trump, while watching the video, he asked his aides who was the woman riding on the horse. Later he was told that she was the wife of the then Governor of North Dakota, Doug Burgum. Trump said that after watching the video, he jokingly told his aides that he was going to hire the person whose wife was so impressive and attractive. Pointing towards Katherine Burgum, he also said that anyone who has such a wife is worthy of praise in himself.

Old controversies regarding women came to mind again

This is not the first time that Donald Trump is embroiled in controversies due to his statements regarding women. Even before this, he has faced criticism many times for commenting on the appearance of women instead of their abilities and for using objectionable language against political women. The latest statement has once again brought his old controversies into discussion.

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