The future president of the United States, Donald Trump, announced this Saturday his nomination for Secretary of Energy: the oilman and mega-donor Republican Chris Wright. In a statement, the Republican expressed that with Wright's election, who is head of the oil services group Liberty Energy based in Denver (Colorado), he seeks to improve private sector investments and achieve the "energy dominance" of the United States to reduce inflation, compete in the arms race of artificial intelligence with China, and expand the country's diplomatic power.
Chris Wright, whom Trump proposes for the Department of Energy, is also part of a new "National Energy Council," which the elected president indicates will be made up of all government agencies dedicated to production, generation, distribution, regulation, transportation, and energy permitting. Wright has received support from influential conservatives, including Harold Hamm, oil and gas magnate and CEO of Continental Resources, a major shale oil company based in Oklahoma.
To be confirmed in his position, Wright must obtain a simple majority of votes in the Senate, where the Republican Party holds 53 of the 100 seats. In interviews with U.S. media, Wright has defended fossil fuels as necessary for society and has criticized the transition to clean energies. He has also expressed his disagreement with what he considers a "vertical" approach to climate change by liberal and leftist groups, and has pointed out that the global climate movement is "collapsing under its own weight."
Since his victory was confirmed in the elections on November 5, Trump has been shaping his vision for the country with controversial choices in his cabinet, appointing a score of individuals who share an absolute loyalty to his vision, a good television presence, and strong support for his policies, such as mass deportations.