Walter Cruickshank

Walter Cruickshank is an American government official who served as Deputy Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. He served as Acting Secretary of the Interior from January 20, 2025 to February 1, 2025.

Walter Cruickshank
Official portrait, 2011
Acting United States Secretary of the Interior
In office January 20, 2025 – February 1, 2025
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Deb Haaland
Succeeded by	Doug Burgum
Acting Director of the Minerals Management Service
In office January 2009 – July 2009
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Randall Luthi
Succeeded by	S. Elizabeth Birnbaum
In office June 2007 – July 2007
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Johnnie Burton
Succeeded by	Randall Luthi
Personal details
Education	Cornell University (BS) Pennsylvania State University (MS, PhD)

Education and career

Cruickshank earned a bachelor's degree from Cornell University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in minerals management from Pennsylvania State University.^[1][2]

He was named Deputy Director of the Minerals Management Service in April 2002, and Cruickshank served as Acting Director between during June–July 2007 and January–July 2009.^[1][2]

In 2011, the Minerals Management Service was broken up into three agencies, including the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, of which Cruickshank became Deputy Director at its inception until June 2025. Cruickshank served as its Acting Director from May 2014 to January 2015, and again from January 2017 to February 2021.^[1][2] He also served as Acting Secretary of the Interior from January 20, 2025 to February 1, 2025.^[1][3] He retired on June 2025.^[4]