Chris Wright

Christopher Allen Wright (born January 15, 1965) is an American energy businessman and politician who has been the 17th and current United States Secretary of Energy since 2025. He is the chief executive of Liberty Energy. He is a board member of Oklo Inc., a nuclear technology company, and EMX Royalty.

In November 2024, President-elect Donald Trump nominated Wright to be the United States Secretary of Energy under his second administration. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 3, 2025.

Personal life
Wright was born on January 15, 1965 and grew up in Colorado. He studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and at the University of California, Berkeley.

Wright and his wife, Liz, live in Englewood, Colorado.

Climate change views
In 2019, Wright drank fracking fluid to prove that it was not dangerous. In January 2023, he said, "There is no climate crisis and we're not in the midst of an energy transition either". He claimed that the climate movement around the world was "collapsing under its own weight."

Business career
In 1992, Wright founded Pinnacle Technologies, a company focused in commercial shale gas production through fracking. He was its CEO until 2006. He was also chairman of Stroud Energy, and he sold the company in 2006. In 2011, he founded Liberty Energy.

Secretary of Energy
In November 2024, the Financial Times reported that Wright was the most likely candidate for United States Secretary of Energy for Donald Trump's second presidency. Many business groups, executives and lobbyists supported Wright for the nomination such as businessman Harold Hamm. 

On November 16, 2024, President-elect Trump announced he would nominate Wright as the secretary of energy. Trump also said Wright would serve on the National Energy Council if confirmed by the Senate. The  Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources voted to advance Wright's nomination for a full U.S. Senate confirmation vote. He was confirmed by the United States Senate by a 59-38 vote on February 3, 2025.

References

Category:Living people
Category:Republican Party (United States) politicians
Category:Politicians from Colorado
Category:Businesspeople from Colorado
Category:1965 births
Category:American chief executives
Category:United States Secretaries of Energy