Energy and environment agencies may be helmed during the second Trump administration by officials who have served under the president-elect before.
Several ex-Trump officials are among the leading contenders for the jobs, including two who appear to have helped President-elect Trump during his campaign. Former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler apparently sent Trump talking points for his debate against President Biden, while former Interior Secretary David Bernhardt fielded reporter questions about energy policy with the Trump campaign over the summer.
Meanwhile, Trump’s second Energy secretary, Dan Brouillette, recently left his post with the electric utility lobby.
They’re not the only top contenders, however. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) is also considered likely to nab a significant energy role in the administration.
Here’s a closer look at those four and others who could be in charge of the nation’s energy policy moving forward:
Andrew Wheeler
Wheeler served at the helm of the EPA after predecessor’s Scott Pruitt departure in 2018 amid ethics scandals until Trump left office in 2021.
In that role, Wheeler led the rollback of significant environmental protections, including issuing less stringent climate standards for power plants and cars, as well as looser water pollution regulations.
Prior to joining the EPA, Wheeler was a lawyer and lobbyist for firms including coal company Murray Energy. After he left the agency, Wheeler worked in the Virginia government in a newly created office that sought to reduce regulations and later joined law firm Holland & Hart.
He appears to remain in Trump’s orbit, with a post on Trump’s Truth Social account indicating Wheeler sent the then-candidate talking points ahead of his debate with President Biden.
Former Trump EPA spokesperson Jahan Wilcox said in an email that he believed Wheeler would be a good pick for the role.
“Andrew Wheeler would be an excellent EPA Administrator,” Wilcox wrote,” as he implemented Donald Trump’s environmental agenda and brought zero baggage or drama to the agency.”
David Bernhardt
Bernhardt led the Interior Department in the last Trump administration after the departure of Ryan Zinke in 2018 following a series of scandals.
Under his tenure the department expanded opportunities for oil and gas drilling on public lands.
A former oil lobbyist, he was known for carrying a list of his potential conflicts of interest.
After the end of the Trump administration, he returned to law and lobbying firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck. He also joined the America First Policy Institute, a think tank made up of former Trump staffers, and is listed on the group’s website as the chair of its Center for American Freedom.
He also appears to have remained part of the Trump world: Over the summer, he took part in a Trump campaign and Republican National Committee press conference on energy policy.
Dan Brouillette
Brouillette led the Energy Department under Trump following the departure of his predecessor Rick Perry in 2019.
Brouillette had previously worked for financial services firm USAA and Ford Motor Company, as well as former President George W. Bush’s administration.
After Trump left office, he joined the Edison Electric Institute, a lobbying group representing power companies, in 2023.
He announced late last month he would leave that post this year in order to spend time “engaging directly with world business and policy leaders.”
His former deputy Mark Menezes told The Hill on Thursday that Brouillette would “certainly be highly qualified to serve in any capacity” in the Trump administration, including as secretary or advisor.
Menezes said that Brouillette “brings a lot of skill sets into the administration,” including in the private sector and international affairs.
Another former Energy official said Brouillette could play a range of roles in the next administration, including at the Energy Department, but also working in national security or intelligence.
Doug Burgum
Burgum is the former governor of North Dakota and was considered a top contender to be Trump’s vice president before Trump ultimately settled on Vice President-elect Vance.
He now appears likely to play an energy role in the next Trump administration. Burgum told CNN after he wasn’t selected as Trump’s running mate that the former president called him “Mr. Secretary.”
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) told The Hill in July that “over a year ago, Donald Trump asked me if I thought Doug Burgum would be a good energy secretary.”
Cramer said at the time that he thinks Burgum should instead be an overarching energy czar that coordinates government energy policy across the board.
North Dakota is a major oil producer and home to significant gas and coal production, and its own power is primarily produced by coal and wind. At the state’s helm, Burgum said he hoped it would achieve net-zero emissions by 2030 — not by reducing the use of fossil fuels, but by capturing and storing their carbon emissions.
Other names
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) may also be a contender for a role in the administration. Reuters and the New York Post reported in the days following the election that Dunleavy was under consideration for a role at the Interior Department and the Post reported that he could be considered to run the Energy Department. An industry source told The Hill they also heard Dunleavy’s name was in the mix for a role.
A spokesperson for Dunleavy said via email: “Governor Dunleavy will continue to be Governor of Alaska. If that changes, we will let you know.”
Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) told E&E News in June that she interviewed twice for the top Interior position during Trump’s first term and said she wasn’t planning to push for it this time around.
Asked whether Lummis would join the second Trump administration, a spokesperson for the senator did not directly answer.
“Senator Lummis has been a leader on public lands issues for many years and currently serves as the Chair of the Senate Western Caucus where she has fought the Biden-Harris administration’s heavy-handed regulations for the past four years. She looks forward to serving the people of Wyoming and working with President Trump to overturn these egregious public lands policies that have harmed the west,” said spokesperson Stacey Daniels in an email.
Asked whether he himself would want to return to the Energy Department, Menezes, who was previously the deputy Energy secretary, did not rule it out. He said his current role at the helm of the nonprofit United States Energy Association is “very fulfilling” but added, “We’ll see what happens.”
Zack Budryk contributed.
