WASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump announced on Saturday his intention to nominate Chris Wright, an oil executive and supporter of his 2024 campaign, for the position of Secretary of Energy during his second term.

If the Senate approves his nomination, Wright, who is the CEO of Liberty Energy based in Colorado, will manage the Department of Energy, which is responsible for the nation’s energy resources, nuclear power development, 17 national labs, and cleaning up nuclear sites from the Cold War.

Wright has contributed to Trump’s presidential campaign and other Republican initiatives, and he is set to be part of Trump’s new Council of National Energy, to be chaired by Doug Burgum, the nominee for Interior Secretary.

Trump stated, “This team will propel U.S. Energy Dominance, reduce inflation, excel in the A.I. competition against China, and enhance America’s diplomatic influence to resolve global conflicts.”

Wright will join Trump’s incoming Republican administration, which is expected to roll back the climate initiatives and clean energy investments implemented during President Biden’s term.

In a video on LinkedIn from 2023, Wright questioned the consensus on climate science regarding human-induced greenhouse gas emissions and their impact on global warming.

“There is no climate emergency, nor are we experiencing an energy transition,” Wright stated, noting that his company is involved in hydraulic fracking to extract oil and gas from deep underground.

Trump has also contested climate change during this year’s presidential campaign and spread misinformation about climate science, which has been fact-checked and discredited by various sources.

In his first term, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement aimed at combating global warming through emission reductions and weakened several domestic emissions regulations, contributing to an anticipated increase of 1.8 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, according to a 2020 report.

Environmental advocates have criticized Trump’s decision to nominate Wright for the Energy Department position.

“It’s disheartening but not unexpected that Trump has chosen a climate-denying executive from Big Oil for Secretary of Energy,” stated Tiernan Sittenfeld, a senior VP at the League of Conservation Voters. She added, “With Chris Wright’s nomination, Trump is acting on the $1 billion pledge he made to Big Oil during a dinner this spring.”

This refers to an April dinner at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate with oil executives and lobbyists, where he encouraged them to contribute $1 billion to his campaign, promising to dismantle President Biden’s environmental regulations.

Sittenfeld remarked that Wright lacks governmental experience and is likely to favor the energy sector over the interests of families, communities, consumers, and the environment. She assured that environmental organizations will stand firm on current environmental laws and climate advancements.

Support for Trump’s choice came from Senator John Barrasso, the leading Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “President Trump promised to make bold decisions, and Chris Wright is an embodiment of that promise,” stated Barrasso, whose committee will oversee Wright’s confirmation hearings.

“He’s an innovator in energy and played a vital role in the fracking boom in America,” he said. “After four years of prioritizing other countries’ energy needs, we need a Secretary who understands the crucial role American energy plays in our economy and national security. Mr. Wright will help ensure that our energy policy focuses on meeting the needs of American families.”

Mike Sommers, president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute, also expressed support for Trump’s nominee on social media platform X.

“Chris Wright’s background in the U.S. energy industry provides a vital viewpoint that will guide his leadership of the Department of Energy,” Sommers stated. He added that his organization is advocating for changes in the Trump administration’s Energy Department, particularly regarding permits for exporting liquefied natural gas to nations lacking free trade agreements with the United States.

Following the recent Republican victory over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, Trump’s Cabinet is taking shape swiftly. Among the nominees are former Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general, Fox News host Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary, Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of State, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem for Homeland Security, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to oversee the Department of Health and Human Services.