Chris Wright

Chris Wright
Official portrait, 2025
17th United States Secretary of Energy
Assumed office
February 4, 2025
PresidentDonald Trump
DeputyJames Danly (nominee)
Preceded byJennifer Granholm
Personal details
Born
Christopher Allen Wright

(1965-06-25) June 25, 1965 (age 59)
Political partyRepublican
Alma mater

Christopher Allen Wright[1] (born June 25, 1965) is an American energy businessman and politician who has been the 17th and current United States Secretary of Energy since 2025. He is the chief executive of Liberty Energy. He is a board member of Oklo Inc., a nuclear technology company, and EMX Royalty.[2]

In November 2024, President-elect Donald Trump nominated Wright to be the United States Secretary of Energy under his second administration. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 3, 2025.

Personal life

Wright was born on June 25, 1965 and grew up in Colorado. He studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and at the University of California, Berkeley.[3]

Wright and his wife, Liz, live in Englewood, Colorado.[4]

Climate change views

In 2019, Wright drank fracking fluid to prove that it was not dangerous.[5] In January 2023, he said, "There is no climate crisis and we're not in the midst of an energy transition either".[6] He claimed that the climate movement around the world was "collapsing under its own weight."[3]

Business career

In 1992, Wright founded Pinnacle Technologies, a company focused in commercial shale gas production through fracking. He was its CEO until 2006. He was also chairman of Stroud Energy,[7] and he sold the company in 2006.[8] In 2011, he founded Liberty Energy.[9]

Secretary of Energy

In November 2024, the Financial Times reported that Wright was the most likely candidate for United States Secretary of Energy for Donald Trump's second presidency.[10] Many business groups, executives and lobbyists supported Wright for the nomination such as businessman Harold Hamm.[11]

On November 16, 2024, President-elect Trump announced he would nominate Wright as the secretary of energy.[12] Trump also said Wright would serve on the National Energy Council if confirmed by the Senate.[13] The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources voted to advance Wright's nomination for a full U.S. Senate confirmation vote.[14] He was confirmed by the United States Senate by a 59-38 vote on February 3, 2025.[15]

References

  1. ↑ Report of proposed sale of securities (Report). Securities and Exchange Commission. August 9, 2023. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Christopher A Wright "Chris"". Bloomberg News. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Trump names fossil fuel executive Chris Wright as energy secretary". AP News. 2024-11-16. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  4. ↑ "Leadership Section", Liberty Energy, retrieved 2024-11-22
  5. ↑ "Trump picks oil industry CEO Chris Wright as Energy Secretary". Reuters. November 16, 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  6. ↑ Samuelsohn, Darren. "Donald Trump to nominate industry CEO Chris Wright to be secretary of Energy". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  7. ↑ "Stroud Exploration Company, LLC". Stroud Exploration Company, LLC. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  8. ↑ "Liberty Energy Leadership". Liberty Energy. Archived from the original on October 6, 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Home". Liberty Energy. 2024-11-13. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  10. ↑ McCormick, Myles; Fedor, Lauren; Smyth, Jamie (November 15, 2024). "Oil boss Chris Wright leads race to be Donald Trump's energy secretary". Financial Times. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  11. ↑ Natter, Ali (November 15, 2024). "Fracking Boss Picks Up Endorsements to Be Trump Energy Secretary". Bloomberg News. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Donald Trump said he would nominate Chris Wright, the chief executive of Liberty Energy, an oil field services company, as his secretary of energy". The New York Times. November 16, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Donald Trump said he would nominate Chris Wright, the chief executive of Liberty Energy, an oil field services company, as his secretary of energy". The New York Times. November 16, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Senate committees approve Trump Cabinet nominations". CNN. January 23, 2025. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  15. ↑ "LIVE NOW: Senate Holds Confirmation Vote for Chris Wright as Energy Secretary". NTD. 2025-02-03. Retrieved 2025-02-03.