Three Key Questions for Chris Wright at Energy Secretary Confirmation Hearing

To: Interested Parties
From: Evergreen Action Deputy Communications Director Seth Nelson
DateTuesday, January 14, 2025
Re: Three Key Questions for Chris Wright at Energy Secretary Confirmation Hearing 



Tomorrow, Chris Wright, a top donor to Donald Trump’s campaign and a fossil fuel executive, will face scrutiny in his Senate confirmation hearing for Energy Secretary as concerns mount over his loyalty to Big Oil and whether he can serve the public interest as head of an agency vital to America’s energy future.

Wright’s nomination is a blatant reward for Big Oil’s unwavering support for Donald Trump. His qualifications for the role appear limited to substantial campaign donations and steadfast support for Trump’s pro-fossil fuel agenda. If confirmed, Wright would jeopardize critical clean energy investments that are lowering energy costs for families, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, and positioning America as a leader in the global clean energy market. The Senate must closely examine whether Wright will use the Department of Energy to serve fossil fuel interests at the expense of American families.

Here are three key questions for senators to ask Chris Wright:


How will you address energy challenges posed by climate-fueled disasters when you deny the role of climate change?

As devastating wildfires continue to rage in Los Angeles, claiming at least 24 lives and destroying entire communities, the Department of Energy plays a critical role in emergency response by helping partners restore power and protect critical energy infrastructure. Yet, you’ve claimed there’s been no increase in the frequency or intensity of natural disasters, dismissing the connection between climate change and extreme weather—contradicting the findings of the vast majority of climate scientists. How can Americans trust you to lead an agency tasked with tackling the energy challenges posed by climate-fueled disasters when you reject the science connecting climate change to these disasters and continue to downplay their threat?



Will you put American families’ pocketbooks ahead of fossil fuel profits?

You’ve dismissed net-zero goals as “economic suicide” and claimed that “there’s no dirty energy, there’s no clean energy, there’s no good stuff, there’s no bad stuff.” However, federal investments have positioned America as a leader in the emerging global clean energy market, while lowering household energy costs for American families and creating hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs nationwideHow can you assure Americans that you will prioritize their economic well-being and our country’s leadership in the global clean energy economy over the profits of fossil fuel corporations?



Given your deep ties to Big Oil, how will you address conflicts of interest?

Your nomination for Secretary of Energy was championed by billionaire oil baron Harold Hamm, who organized the infamous Mar-a-Lago meeting between Donald Trump and fossil fuel executives that resulted in a $1 billion quid pro quo in exchange for tax breaks and rollbacks of climate regulations. And, as CEO of Liberty Energy, you’ve spent your career profiting from oil and gas. If confirmed, you would oversee policies directly impacting the companies and executives you’ve worked with for decadesHow can the public trust you to put the interests of American families over those of fossil fuel corporations, which have heavily supported your career and nomination?



###