Chris Wright, CEO of a Denver-based energy services company, received congratulations from Colorado after being selected as the energy secretary for the incoming Trump administration.
Debbie Brown, president of the Colorado Business Roundtable, praised Wright for his practical approach to advancing clean, affordable, and reliable energy solutions. She highlighted his expertise and passion for energy’s role in improving lives, emphasizing his experience as an entrepreneur, innovator, philanthropist, environmentalist, and business leader.
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert expressed her excitement on X, stating she looks forward to working with Wright and believes he will help make the U.S. “ENERGY DOMINANT again.”
Wright, the founder and CEO of Liberty Energy, an oil field services firm, is expected to support Trump’s energy policies, focusing on increasing oil and gas production and boosting electricity generation.
However, environmental groups criticized the appointment, with Jean Su of the Center for Biological Diversity’s energy justice program accusing Wright’s selection of signaling Trump’s intention to make the U.S. a “petrostate.”
Wright, a frequent writer on energy issues, has argued that rising energy costs and reduced reliability hurt lower-income populations who rely on modern energy for necessities like cooking, drinking water, and sanitation. He pointed out the global disparity between the wealthy, energy-accessible 15% of the population and the rest who live in “energy poverty.”
He also stressed that tackling climate change without addressing energy poverty is not only impractical but immoral.
The Department of Energy manages U.S. energy diplomacy, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and programs that support energy technology innovation, as well as overseeing the nation’s nuclear weapons complex and national labs.