Trump picks energy-sector CEO for key role, following old conservative methods
Ex-president makes cabinet picks that mirror 1980s Reagan-era strategy. His choices for energy-related positions show clear pattern of selecting industry-linked people who oppose agency missions
In a move thats raising eye-brows Donald Trump picked Chris White‚ Liberty Energyʼs CEO to run Energy Department. His other picks include Lee Zeldin for EPA and Doug Burgum for Interior – all known for their non-friendly views towards environmental rules
The selections follow Heritage Foundations recent Project 2025 plan (a 900-page document) that wants to remove non-loyal civil servants. This strategy isnt new; it goes back to 70s when conservatives started putting agency-hostile people in charge
Some of you will be excited about the changes‚ others wont find it comfortable
The most well-known case happened during Reagan times when James Watt ran Interior Department. As a Wyoming-born lawyer who supported the Sagebrush Rebellion he fought against federal land control; his actions let oil companies drill in huge ocean areas and opened wilderness to mining
- He criticized environmental staff as extremists
- He gave mining and lumber firms more access
- He tried to privatize national parks
- He made controversial statements about minorities
Watts time ended after offensive remarks but his impact stayed – he moved environmental debate right-ward. Similar things happened at other agencies: Anne Gorsuch at EPA didnt support eco-programs‚ and cost-benefit rules made green policies harder to make
Today state governments might fight back against these changes‚ just like in 80s when public pushback helped save some programs. Back then Sierra Club grew from 181000 to 364000 members and even Reaganʼs last EPA chief got him to sign Montreal Protocol
