Trump names fossil fuel executive Chris Wright as energy secretary

Despite having no prior government experience, Wright has advocated for increased fossil fuel production to alleviate global poverty. His nomination has drawn support from key conservative figures, including Harold Hamm, executive chairman of Continental Resources and a major figure in the shale oil industry.

I am honored and grateful for the opportunity from @realDonaldTrump to serve our country as U.S. Secretary of Energy. My dedication to bettering human lives remains steadfast, with a focus on making American energy more affordable, reliable, and secure. Energy is the lifeblood… pic.twitter.com/IfjMQw9xKi

— Chris Wright (@ChrisAWright_) November 16, 2024

Hamm, a close Trump ally, praised Wright as an energy innovator and supported his nomination, which aligns with Trump’s promise to roll back environmental regulations.

Mike Sommers, president of the American Petroleum Institute, commended Wright’s industry expertise, stating it would “inform his leadership” of the Department of Energy (DOE). Sommers added that Wright’s confirmation could expedite the lifting of a pause on natural gas export approvals imposed by the Biden administration.

Environmental advocates, however, sharply criticised the nomination. Jackie Wong of the Natural Resources Defense Council called Wright “a champion of dirty fossil fuels” and described his appointment as a “disastrous mistake.” Wong argued that the DOE should prioritise the development of clean energy solutions, especially amid increasing climate-related disasters.

The Department of Energy oversees nuclear security, natural gas exports, and environmental cleanup at nuclear weapons sites. It also leads scientific research at 17 national laboratories. Republican Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, expected to chair the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said Wright’s appointment aligns with Trump’s promise of bold leadership.

“He’s an energy innovator who laid the foundation for America’s fracking boom,” Barrasso said, criticising the “America last” energy policies of the Biden administration.

If confirmed, Wright would serve on a newly created National Energy Council chaired by North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick for interior secretary. The council aims to establish U.S. “energy dominance” globally, Trump said.

Wright’s appointment follows decades of experience in the energy sector. After earning an undergraduate degree from MIT and completing graduate studies in electrical engineering at the University of California-Berkeley, he founded Pinnacle Technologies in 1992, a company instrumental in commercialising fracking. He later launched Liberty Resources in 2010.

Meanwhile, Trump’s deliberations for the Treasury secretary post have attracted public attention. Billionaire Elon Musk, who has been tapped to co-lead a commission on government spending efficiency, publicly weighed in on the decision via social media platform X, which he owns.

Musk expressed support for Howard Lutnick, CEO of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, over hedge fund manager Scott Bessent.

Musk described Bessent as a “business-as-usual choice,” endorsing Lutnick as someone who would “enact change.” Trump is yet to announce his Treasury pick, though both Lutnick and Bessent remain under consideration.

(with inputs from AP)