On Inauguration Day in 2025, President Trump issued a series of executive orders. The one pertaining to energy said:
“America is blessed with an abundance of energy and natural resources that have historically powered our Nation’s economic prosperity. In recent years, burdensome and ideologically motivated regulations have impeded the development of these resources, limited the generation of reliable and affordable electricity, reduced job creation, and inflicted high energy costs upon our citizens. These high energy costs devastate American consumers by driving up the cost of transportation, heating, utilities, farming, and manufacturing, while weakening our national security.”
The order revoked numerous Biden administration executive orders including those dealing with the so-called “climate crisis,” and orders regarding federal regulation. It also revoked the electric vehicle mandate and allows consumers their old freedoms in choosing household appliances.
In his first executive order, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that the United States must “unleash” nuclear energy. Secretary Wright continued: “America must lead the commercialization of affordable and abundant nuclear energy. As such, the Department will work diligently and creatively to enable the rapid deployment and export of next-generation nuclear technology."
Secretary Wright has also said that the United States must be on the forefront of using nuclear power to generate electricity for artificial intelligence. Multibillion dollar companies, including Microsoft, are already doing this---and seeking subsidies for it.
He also continued the Biden administration’s promise of granting loan guarantees for the Palisades nuclear facility in Michigan. Wright released $56.8 million of a $1.5 billion loan guarantee. This facility could not survive without these subsidies and were a bone to liberal clean energy cronies.
Secretary Wright’s efforts are not without precedent. When President Reagan appointed William Bennett as Secretary of Education, he thought Bennett would keep the department in check and scale it back from encroaching on state policy. In fact, Reagan saw department as worthless and wanted the whole agency eliminated, just as it was in in the 1980 GOP platform. Instead, Bennett testified before Congress to request additional funds for Education.
Reagan had other appointees who went south on him like Oliver North, who cooked up a scheme to sell arms for hostages, contrary to Reagan’s standing order not to negotiate with terrorists. Reagan took North to task in his diaries stating for instance that North had never been to Camp David, despite North’s claim. When North ran of the US Senate (and lost) both Nancy Reagan and Reagan’s close friend Senator Paul Laxalt campaigned against North.
Many presidents have appointees who go off the reservation. President Carter saw the resignation of Secretary of State Cyrus Vance because he disagreed with Carter’s attempt to rescue the Americans being held hostage in Tehran.
President Trump campaigned on specific energy policies that would ensure abundance and prosperity. Secretary Wright is eager to promote nuclear energy, which has been receiving billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies.
A recent poll by McLaughlin & Associates, President Trump’s pollster, found subsidies for billion-dollar nuclear companies to be hugely unpopular and politically dangerous to elected officials who support them.
The cabinet exists to serve the president and implement his agenda. President Trump needs to reign his rogue Energy Secretary.
Craig Shirley is Chairman of Citizens for the Republic
- Department of Energy
- Nuclear Power
- Trump administration
- Drill baby drill
- energy exploration
- Trump energy executive orders
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright
- Electric Vehicle Mandate
- Next generation nuclear technology
- Energy for Artificial Intelligence
- Palisades nuclear facility
