WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� President-elect has selected Chris Wright, a campaign donor and fossil fuel executive, to serve as energy secretary in a second Trump administration.
Wright, CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, is a vocal advocate of , including fracking, a key pillar of Trump鈥檚 quest to achieve U.S. 鈥渆nergy dominance鈥� in the global market.
Wright has won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump鈥檚 first term.
Hamm helped organize an event at Trump鈥檚 Mar-a-Lago resort in April where Trump reportedly asked industry leaders and lobbyists to , with the expectation that Trump would curtail environmental regulations if re-elected.
Wright has been one of the industry鈥檚 loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change and could give fossil fuels a boost, including quick action to end a year-long pause on natural gas export approvals by the Biden administration.
Wright has criticized what he calls a 鈥渢op-down鈥� approach to climate by liberal and left-wing groups and said the climate movement around the world is 鈥渃ollapsing under its own weight.鈥�
Collen Long, The Associated Press
