President-elect Trump announced on Saturday that he has chosen Chris Wright, a top executive in the oil and natural gas industry, to serve as the new Secretary of Energy in his upcoming administration. With Trump’s push for achieving energy independence in the United States and enhancing oil and gas extraction, the appointment of the Secretary of Energy has drawn considerable attention.
Chris Wright is the founder and CEO of Liberty Energy, an oilfield services company. He advocates vigorously for oil and gas development, including the use of hydraulic fracturing technology, which is a key pillar in Trump’s goal to establish American “energy dominance” in the global market.
“I am pleased to announce that Chris Wright will join my administration as the U.S. Secretary of Energy and a member of the newly established Council of National Energy,” Trump stated in a release on Saturday. Trump emphasized that Wright has been a leading technical expert and entrepreneur in the energy sector.
“He has worked in nuclear, solar, geothermal, oil, and natural gas industries,” Trump said. “Most importantly, Chris is one of the pioneers who helped launch the American shale revolution, which drove U.S. energy independence and transformed the global energy market and geopolitics.”
“As Secretary of Energy, Chris will be a key leader in driving innovation, reducing red tape, and ushering in a ‘new golden age of American prosperity and global peace,'” Trump added.
Responding to the nomination on social media platform X, Wright stated, “I am honored and grateful to have the opportunity to serve as the U.S. Secretary of Energy under Trump’s administration for our country. I remain steadfast in my commitment to improving human lives, with a focus on making American energy more affordable, reliable, and secure.”
“Energy is the lifeblood that makes everything in life possible… I look forward to starting the work,” he said.
It is expected that Wright, upon assuming office, will execute Trump’s agenda of maximizing oil and natural gas production and seeking methods to increase power generation.
According to the Liberty Energy company website, Wright describes himself as a passionate humanitarian with a mission to “improve human life by expanding access to abundant, affordable, and reliable energy.”
He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and pursued graduate studies in Electrical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, and MIT. In 1992, he founded Pinnacle Technologies. The company’s innovative technologies helped kickstart commercial shale gas production and established the hydraulic fracturing mapping industry.
Trump has consistently highlighted achieving American energy independence and bolstering oil and natural gas production as cornerstones of his campaign activities. During the campaign period, he pledged to expand hydraulic fracturing technology and lift the ban on liquefied natural gas exports, setting his policies in stark contrast to the Biden administration. The appointment of who will oversee the U.S. Department of Energy under the incoming president has therefore attracted significant attention.