Trump’s Energy Picks Are Refreshingly Competent
President-elect Donald Trump has selected North Dakota Republican Gov. Doug Burgum and Chris Wright, the CEO of Liberty Energy, as his nominees to lead the Department of the Interior and Department of Energy (DOE), respectively. Though other staff picks have been head-scratchers, the selection of Wright and Burgum signals a possible return to energy realism in the federal government.
Assuming they’re confirmed to head these agencies, Wright and Burgum will serve on the National Energy Council (to be chaired by Burgum), which will work with federal agencies to streamline permitting, reduce regulations, and get out of the way of private sector energy innovation. As head energy advisers, it will also be their job to direct Trump away from using state power to prop up favored industries or attack technologies he doesn’t like.
The Energy Department manages the nation’s stockpile of nuclear warheads, energy and technological research and development, and environmental cleanup at former nuclear weapons and nuclear research sites. Through legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act, the department has received billions of dollars in new funding, which have been directed toward pet projects. President Joe Biden’s DOE also paused exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in January.
Whether or not Congress repeals the Inflation Reduction Act (a full repeal is unlikely), Wright will set the spending priorities of the Energy Department, whose budget reached nearly $50 billion in FY 2024. If Wright wants to eliminate redundant and wasteful programs, he will need to work with lawmakers. Reducing red tape and reversing Biden’s pause on LNG exports are other actions he could take in his capacity as energy secretary.
The Department of the Interior facilitates oil and gas leasing and manages mineral extraction and renewable energy development on federal lands. In his first week in office, President Joe Biden paused new oil and gas leasing on federal lands. The ban remained in place until April 2022. The department also issued a 20-year mining moratorium on 225,000 acres of mineral-rich land in Minnesota.
With approximately 12 percent of the nation’s oil production and 11 percent of its natural gas production occurring on federal lands, Burgum will play a large role in shaping U.S. energy policy over the next four years. Holding quarterly lease
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