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Donald Trump’s energy secretary nominee was Chris Wright, then CEO of Liberty Energy. Before his nomination, Wright said in a video reported by ABC News: “There is no climate crisis, and we’re not in the midst of an energy transition either.” The video was reported as having been posted to LinkedIn in 2023. Wright later described climate change as “a real and global challenge that we can and should address” in written responses to senators.
Who was Trump’s pick for energy secretary?
Trump nominated Wright on November 16, 2024, to serve as the 17th U.S. secretary of energy, according to the Department of Energy biography. The Senate confirmed him on February 3, 2025. “Pick” therefore refers to the nomination stage; Wright is no longer merely a nominee.
When and where did Wright say there was no climate crisis?
ABC News reported in November 2024 that Wright had made the statement in a video he posted to LinkedIn the prior year. ABC quoted him saying, “There is no climate crisis, and we’re not in the midst of an energy transition either.” The original video is not available in the sources cited here, so the wording is attributable to ABC’s report rather than a direct review of the video.
What did Wright say during the confirmation process?
Written answers to senators
In January 2025, responding in writing to questions from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Wright said: “Climate change is a real and global challenge that we can and should address.” The written response is distinct from his earlier video statement.
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Confirmation hearing
The committee held Wright’s nomination hearing on January 15, 2025, according to its official notice. The Associated Press reported that Wright acknowledged burning fossil fuels causes climate change while arguing that energy sources involve trade-offs. AP also attributed to Wright at the hearing the figure that atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration had increased by 50%; that is his stated figure, not independently verified here.
How did Wright describe climate change after taking office?
In remarks to Department of Energy staff on February 5, 2025, Wright said, “Climate change is a real thing.” He distinguished physical climate science from what he described as political uses of climate language. He also argued that energy sources have benefits and impacts, saying, “There’s no such thing as clean energy and dirty energy. That’s just nonsense.” These remarks document his position; they are not independent assessments of climate science.
In the same staff address, Wright said nuclear energy’s share of global energy had fallen from 6% in 2000 to 4% at the time of his 2025 remarks, while overall energy demand grew. Those percentages are Wright’s figures as presented in the DOE transcript, not independently established here.
At CERAWeek in 2025, Wright rejected the labels “climate denier” and “climate skeptic,” saying, “This is simply wrong. I am a climate realist.” In that setting, he described climate change as a global physical phenomenon. The DOE account of his remarks records his characterization, not an external scientific evaluation.
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How should the statements be understood together?
The statements differ in date and setting. The “no climate crisis” wording came from a video reported as posted in 2023, before Trump nominated Wright. His written response to senators in January 2025 called climate change a real global challenge, and his later DOE remarks said it is real while criticizing how climate language is used politically. The later comments provide context for Wright’s public position; they do not alter the wording or timing of the earlier video.
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