Dear fellow DOE team members,
Earlier today, I was sworn in as the 17th Secretary of Energy. It is a great privilege to serve in President Trump’s cabinet and alongside each of you at such a consequential moment in American history.
I’m inspired by how the Department of Energy–and each of you who serves its mission-stands every day at the center of the United States’ and the world’s energy past, present, and future. From securing our weapons systems, to meeting Cold War-era waste commitments, to fostering innovation and technology breakthroughs, DOE protects what America has built and represents the very best of what it can achieve.
President Trump has outlined a bold and ambitious agenda for unleashing American energy dominance. A key component of this vision is the United States leading the world in energy development. Our Department is critical in accomplishing these goals by cutting red tape, prioritizing common-sense solutions, and fostering American ingenuity.
I am honored and humbled by the responsibility and immense opportunity to help meet the American people’s growing energy needs. Our next chapter will strengthen our nation’s energy leadership by developing our enviable resources, bolstering global partnerships, and advancing new technologies. We will foster huge innovations in Quantum Computing, artificial intelligence, and their inevitable convergence. We have an urgent need to upgrade our nuclear arsenal and our broader capabilities to design and construct nuclear weapons and power systems.
I have been an energy entrepreneur my entire life, driven by a mission to better energize the world with affordable, reliable, and secure energy. At MIT, I worked in nuclear and solar energy. Immediately after, I worked on a new geothermal technology. Early in my professional career, I helped launch the shale revolution, which created an American energy renaissance, driving down global energy prices and increasing American security.
In my last fourteen years at Liberty Energy, our team expanded the shale revolution to include oil production as well as natural gas. I also participated in an effort to apply shale technology to unlock next-generation geothermal. Most recently, I worked to help launch small modular reactors, a promising solution to support an Al-driven economy.
Liz, my wife of over 30 years, and I have dedicated much of our lives to supporting and leading organizations, philanthropies, and projects that better human lives. Today, we take a genuinely impactful next step on our journey.
Each of you plays a vital role in building and protecting this great Department’s proud legacy and exciting future.
Together, we can alter the trajectory of American energy and help expand energy access to the seven billion people who aspire to join the one billion living highly energized lives. This is a big challenge—a noble challenge. In the weeks and months ahead, I look forward to learning more about the critical work you do here in Washington and across the country.
Thank you for your service, expertise, and commitment to this essential mission.
Onward together,
Chris Wright
U.S. Secretary of Energy