Trump’s energy secretary pushes fossil fuels while dismissing renewables in public speeches
In his Senate confirmation, Chris Wright pledged support for clean energy, but since taking office, he’s promoted fossil fuels and attacked renewables in conservative forums.
Abrahm Lustgarten reports for ProPublica.
In short:
- Chris Wright, founder of a fracking company and now Trump’s energy secretary, has reversed course on climate policy since his confirmation, now pushing fossil fuel expansion over renewables.
- While telling Congress he supports all energy sources, Wright has since mocked clean energy, calling wind and solar costly failures and downplaying the feasibility of energy transition.
- Wright’s public remarks echo Trump administration efforts to reframe climate change as a trade-off of modern progress rather than an urgent threat, aligning with a broader ideological push.
Key quote:
“The world simply runs on hydrocarbons and for most of their uses, we don't have replacements.”
— Chris Wright, U.S. Secretary of Energy
Why this matters:
Chris Wright’s shift in rhetoric reflects a broader trend under President Trump’s administration to roll back climate regulations and cast doubt on renewable energy’s viability. By embracing fossil fuels as essential and dismissing clean energy alternatives, Wright’s position influences not just national energy priorities but global climate strategy.
This posture ignores clear scientific consensus on the risks of continued fossil fuel use — rising heat, extreme weather, ecosystem disruption—and undermines ongoing transitions already underway in many states and countries. The health consequences of air and water pollution from fossil fuels, especially for low-income and marginalized communities, remain central concerns as the Trump administration pivots away from emission reduction goals.
Learn more: Opinion: Trump allies aim to take U.S. energy policy back in time
