Former Texas Governor Rick Perry has been confirmed as president-elect Donald Trump's choice for Energy Secretary.
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The 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 #rickperry https://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.