President-elect Donald Trump announced Saturday his selection of Chris Wright, a Colorado-based oil and gas executive, to lead the Department of Energy.
Wright, who denies the existence of a climate crisis, is also set to join the newly formed Council of National Energy, aimed at boosting domestic fossil fuel and energy production.
Chris will be a key leader, driving innovation, cutting red tape, and ushering in a new ‘Golden Age of American Prosperity and Global Peace, Trump’s transition team stated.
Wright, CEO and founder of Denver-based Liberty Energy, has expressed skepticism about climate change policies.
In a 2022 video, he dismissed terms like climate crisis and clean energy as alarmist marketing, while arguing that the benefits of fossil fuels, such as wealth, health, and opportunity, outweigh any global warming impacts.
He also claimed there’s no increase in extreme weather events, contradicting findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC.
Critics argue Wright’s views directly oppose the Department of Energy’s current mission under President Joe Biden, which prioritizes addressing climate change as a central challenge.
Environmental groups, like the Center for Biological Diversity, have condemned the nomination, calling it a threat to both frontline communities and global climate efforts.
Wright’s nomination joins other controversial picks by Trump, including Matt Gaetz for attorney general and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead Health and Human Services.
Currently, the Department of Energy is led by Jennifer Granholm, former Democratic governor of Michigan.
