Sarah Palin has said she would like to serve as energy secretary in a Donald Trump administration – in order to abolish the department.

The former governor of Alaska and conservative activist told CNN that “energy is my baby”.

“Oil and gas and minerals, those things that God has dumped on this part of the Earth for mankind’s use,” she said.

Mr Trump said in July he would be open to the possibility of Ms Palin serving in his government.

Ms Palin said she wanted individual states to “start having more control over the lands that are within their boundaries” with respect to their energy policy.

“If I were in charge of that, it would be a short-term job,” she said.

Ms Palin also defended Mr Trump over recent criticism of gaps in his knowledge of foreign affairs.

“I think I’d rather have a president who is tough and puts America first than can win a game of Trivial Pursuit,” she said.

“But I don’t think the public gives a flying flip if somebody knows who, today, is a specific leader of a specific region or a religion or anything,” she added.

Mr Trump has recently been leading polls for the Republican presidential nomination. Ms Palin was the Republican nominee for vice-president in 2008.