President-elect Donald Trump chose Chris Wright, a campaign donor and executive in the fossil fuels sector, to serve as Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE) in a second Trump administration.
Wright, CEO of Liberty Energy based in Denver, is a strong advocate for the development of oil and gas, including hydraulic fracturing, a key element in Trump's effort to achieve US "energy dominance" in the global market.
Wright has been one of the staunchest opponents of the industry's efforts to combat climate change and could push for measures in favor of fossil fuels, including taking quick action to end a one-year pause in the approval process for natural gas exports decreed by President Joe Biden's administration.
Wright has also criticized what he calls a "vertical" approach to climate change by liberal and leftist groups and said that the climate movement worldwide is "collapsing under its own weight". Wright, who has never held a government position or has political experience, has written that it is necessary to increase global fossil fuel production to reduce poverty rates.
Wright's appointment as Secretary of Energy received support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm.
Hamm, CEO of Continental Resources, a major shale oil company based in Oklahoma, has been a longtime supporter and advisor to Trump and played a key role in energy issues during his first term.
Hamm helped organize an event at Trump's Mar-a-Lago complex in April, in which the president-elect allegedly urged industry leaders and their promoters to donate a billion dollars to his campaign with the expectation that Trump would reduce environmental regulations if reelected.
Mike Sommers, president of the American Petroleum Institute, the main lobbying group for the oil and gas industry, said that Wright's experience in the energy sector "provides him with an important perspective that will inform his leadership."
"We look forward to working with him once he is confirmed in the position to strengthen U.S. geopolitical power by lifting the DOE's pause on procedures for exporting liquefied natural gas and ensuring open access to U.S. energy for our allies around the world," Sommers said.
Jackie Wong, senior vice president of climate and energy at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group, called Wright "a defender of dirty fossil fuels" and said that his nomination to lead the DOE was "a disastrous mistake."
"The DOE should do everything possible to develop and expand 21st-century energy sources, not try to promote dirty fuels from the past century. Given the devastating impact of climate change-related disasters, the DOE's central mission to research and promote cleaner energy solutions is now more important than ever," said Wong.
The Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for advancing the United States' energy, environmental, and nuclear security. The department is in charge of maintaining the country's nuclear weapons, oversees 17 national research laboratories, and approves natural gas exports, as well as ensuring the environmental cleanup of the nation's nuclear weapons complex. It also promotes scientific and technological research.
Republican Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, who is expected to become the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said that Trump promised to choose his cabinet members courageously, and that Wright's nomination meets that criteria.
"He is an energy innovator who laid the groundwork for the rise of hydraulic fracturing in the United States. After putting U.S. energy policy last, our country desperately needs a secretary who understands how important American energy is to our economy and our national security," emphasized Barrasso.
If his appointment is confirmed, Wright will join North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, whom Trump has chosen to serve as Secretary of the Interior, as a key player in seeking "energy hegemony."
Thomas Pyle, president of the American Energy Alliance, a conservative group that supports fossil fuels and also the leader of the DOE transition team under the Trump administration in 2016, said that Wright would be “an excellent choice” for Secretary of Energy.