Richard Parks Donald Trump has announced Chris Wright, CEO of Liberty Energy, as his nominee for Secretary of Energy. The selection signals a return to policies favoring expanded oil and gas production and reduced emphasis on renewable energy under Trump’s administration.
Wright, known for his outspoken support of fossil fuels, has frequently dismissed the climate crisis and criticized efforts to transition to clean energy. In a 2022 video posted on his LinkedIn, he claimed, “There is no climate crisis, and we’re not in the midst of an energy transition, either.”
As the founder of Liberty Energy, an oilfield services company based in Denver, Colorado, Wright has long been a vocal proponent of traditional energy sources. He has argued that fossil fuels are essential for economic growth and lifting populations out of poverty. In 2019, he made headlines by drinking fracking fluid on camera to highlight what he called the safety of hydraulic fracturing technology.
If confirmed by the Senate, Wright will succeed Jennifer Granholm, who has championed renewable energy technologies such as wind, solar, and electric vehicles. His responsibilities will include overseeing the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, U.S. energy diplomacy, and nuclear energy programs, as well as managing federal grants and loans for energy innovation.
The nomination comes amid growing electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and cryptocurrency mining. While U.S. oil production under President Joe Biden has reached record levels, Trump and Wright are expected to prioritize further expansion of fossil fuel output and seek ways to streamline energy infrastructure development.
Wright’s nomination reflects a broader strategy to shift U.S. energy policy away from climate-focused international agreements and toward maximizing domestic oil and gas production. It also underscores the incoming administration’s focus on leveraging traditional energy sources to address rising electricity needs and enhance economic competitiveness.