Chris Wright, President Donald Trump’s pick for Energy Secretary, has signaled a dramatic shift in US energy policy, vowing to remove bureaucratic obstacles and promote the production of nuclear power and liquified natural gas (LNG), Bloomberg reports.
In written testimony before his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Wright, founder of oil and gas fracking company Liberty Energy Inc., declared that the “security of our nation begins with energy,” arguing that previous administrations had failed to recognize energy as a national asset.
Wright said his first priority would be to “unleash American energy at home and abroad to restore energy dominance,” a policy hallmark of Trump’s first term. He emphasized the importance of innovation and technology breakthroughs, but his overall tone suggests a significant departure from the Biden administration’s push for renewable energy.
A vocal advocate for the fossil fuel industry, Wright has previously proclaimed the “moral virtues” of oil and gas and even famously drank fracking fluid to demonstrate its safety. He has consistently criticized subsidies for wind and solar power, arguing that fossil fuels are essential for global prosperity and poverty reduction.
While the Department of Energy has limited direct control over oil and gas development, Wright, if confirmed, would oversee a vast portfolio, including the nation’s nuclear warheads, supercomputing research, and the strategic petroleum reserve. He stressed the need to “protect and accelerate” the work of the national laboratory network to maintain America’s competitive edge.
A key area where Wright’s influence could be immediate is in the approval of LNG export projects, which were temporarily halted under the Biden administration. He will likely be a crucial figure in fulfilling Trump’s campaign promises to support the coal industry, build new power plants, expand electrical grids, and dramatically cut overall energy costs.
