Oil executive without Senate approval reshapes Interior while holding energy investments
A Texas oil executive with ties to the fossil fuel industry is overseeing sweeping changes inside the U.S. Interior Department despite lacking Senate confirmation, divestments, or an ethics pledge.
Martha Bellisle reports for The Associated Press.
In short:
- Tyler Hassen, a former oil executive from Elon Musk’s DOGE team, is reorganizing the Interior Department’s structure and policies without divesting from energy interests or filing a federal ethics commitment.
- His changes include cutting regulations, boosting fossil fuel production, and blocking public input on rule freezes—all while holding millions in stock and income from oil, crypto, and mining ventures.
- Critics argue Hassen’s appointment sidesteps confirmation rules, creates legal risks, and reflects an erosion of oversight, with some lawmakers calling the moves unconstitutional.
Key quote:
“It’s a dereliction of duty to offload decisions about staffing and funding at the Interior Department to someone who hasn’t even been confirmed by the Senate.”
— Kate Groetzinger, with the Center for Western Priorities
Why this matters:
The U.S. Interior Department controls one-fifth of the nation’s land, manages Indigenous affairs, and stewards public resources from parks to oil leases. When a private energy executive is handed broad powers over those responsibilities — without Senate confirmation or clear ethical boundaries — it raises serious red flags. Conflicts of interest can shape how and where drilling happens, whether endangered species protections are enforced, and how mining operations expand on public lands. Hassen’s financial ties to oil and crypto ventures, including holdings in a lithium mine under federal review, highlight how corporate priorities may drive public decisions. These moves are also occurring under a freeze on new regulations, meaning public voices have less power to intervene.
Read more: Elon Musk-linked aide gains sweeping control over U.S. Interior Department operations
