Rod Lamkey Jr./AP
Chris Wright, the fracking company CEO who Trump has nominated to lead the Department of Energy and who had previously claimed “there is no climate crisis,” admitted that climate change is a “real issue” during his confirmation hearings on Wednesday.
Wright, who runs Liberty Energy and is worth $171 million, was tapped in mid-November by Trump, who heralded him as someone who would help lead his administration’s efforts to cut regulations and remove government subsidies for renewable energy.
However, Wright’s recognition that climate change is “real” and requires the US “to evolve our energy system” rubs against previous climate denying statements from Trump, like calling climate change a hoax and denying the scientific consensus in support of the issue.
Given his background, it’s unclear if or how Wright’s comments, made to the Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee, might shape his tenure if he is confirmed. In a statement following Trump’s announcement of his plan to nominate Wright, the Sierra Club defined him as a “climate denier who has profited off of polluting our communities and endangering our health and future.” Wright has contributed $165,000 to Koch-controlled Super PACs since 2014, according to the Energy and Policy Institute, which have funneled millions towards climate denial groups that oppose renewable energy.
In a 2023 LinkedIn video post, Wright argued that “there is no climate crisis and we are not in the midst of an energy transition,” and that “the only thing resembling a crisis with respect to climate change is the regressive opportunity squelching policies justified in the name of climate change.” Wright also downplayed the relationship between climate change and destructive natural disasters, claiming there’s been “no increase in the frequency or intensity of hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, or floods despite endless fear mongering.”
Against the backdrop of the deadly blazes raging in Los Angeles, California Senator Alex Padilla grilled Wright about his past claims that wildfires have no connection to climate change. “I understand you’ve written that ‘the hype over wildfires is just hype to justify more impoverishment from bad government policies,’” Padilla said, as he asked if “you still believe that wildfires are just hype?” Wright said he stood by his comments.
Environmental advocates have argued Wright’s history makes him an inappropriate choice to lead the Department of Energy, and his testimony on Wednesday didn’t seem to change that. As Food & Water Watch, a non-profit environmental organization, tweeted during the hearing, his “background as a fracking company CEO flies in the face of the Department’s stated purpose, which is to ‘foster a secure and reliable energy system that is environmentally and economically sustainable.’”
Chris Wright, Trump’s pick to head the Department of Energy, had his confirmation hearing this morning. As is typical for a Trump nominee, Wright’s background as a fracking company CEO flies in the face of the Department's stated purpose, which is to “foster a secure and reliable…
— Food & Water Watch (@foodandwater) January 15, 2025
