Donald Trump unsettled critics on Thursday after sharing the backstory behind his decision to appoint former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as secretary of the Interior Department.
The president made the remarks during the signing of an executive order addressing drug addiction. Burgum attended the event in the Oval Office with his wife, Kathryn Burgum, who spoke about her own recovery from addiction.
Trump recalled watching a video of the couple riding horses and said it immediately caught his attention.
“I said, ‘Who is that?’” Trump explained. “I was talking about her, not him.”
When he was informed it was Burgum and his wife, Trump said he decided on the spot to hire the businessman.
Why? According to Trump, it was because “anybody that has somebody like you [Kathryn] to be with, it’s an amazing tribute and it’s a great couple, an amazing couple.”
The remarks quickly sparked discomfort and criticism online.