Former Texas Governor Rick Perry has been confirmed as president-elect Donald Trump's choice for Energy Secretary.
ADVERTISEMENTThe former governor of Texas and twice unsuccessful candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, Rick Perry, has been confirmed as Donald Trump’s Energy secretary-in-waiting.
Yet as recently as 2011 on the presidential campaign trail Perry promised he would do away with the agency he is about to run. He is a longstanding climate change sceptic.
“We’ll eliminate agencies that perform redundant functions, get rid of the Department of Commerce, the Department of Education , the Department of Energy”.
What could come up at #RickPerry's confirmation hearing? AP digs into the former #Texas governor’s past. https://t.co/7gYg5H7lsv
— AP Central U.S. (@APCentralRegion) December 13, 2016
However Perry seemed to struggle to even remember energy in a Republican primary in 2011.
“It’s three agencies of government when I get there that are gone. Commerce, Education and the… What’s the third one there? Let’s see…The third agency of government I would do away with… Education, Commerce and, let’s see. I can’t. The third one I can’t. Sorry. Oops”. The lapse cost him dear in his campaign.
Trump picked a Secretary of Energy who Trump thinks is stupid & incompetent. #cabinetpicks#Resistance#rickperryhttps://t.co/TNrapuizSz
— Jenn Carson (@8675309Carson) December 14, 2016
Trump praised Perry for creating millions of jobs and lowering energy prices from 2000 to 2015 as governor of Texas, which is a major oil, gas and wind power producer.
Trump pick for Sec. of Energy cray cray #RickPerry is still on the payroll of a controversial pipeline company https://t.co/4nZ4TC62of
— Queenadalite (@queenadalite) December 12, 2016
But his tenure also saw Texas enact some of the stiffest anti-abortion laws in the country.
The appointment means all of Trump’s choices for jobs likely to have a major environmental impact have gone to climate change sceptics and fans of fossil fuels.
At least 9 senior members of transition team deny basic science→ Trump's choices demonstrate pro-fossil fuels agenda https://t.co/13C55DRsq3
— YEARS (@YEARSofLIVING) December 13, 2016
Perry will also oversee America’s nuclear weapons programme.