The Trump administration rapidly appointed individuals linked to fossil fuel industries and right-wing think tanks to key environmental and energy policy positions, according to a report.
Public Citizen and the Revolving Door Project, nonprofit organizations that monitor corporate influence in government, reviewed 111 nominees and appointees in agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Interior (DOI). They identified 43 people with fossil fuel industry ties and 12 connected to right-wing think tanks, many funded by oilmen like Tim Dunn.
Of 37 nominees to the Department of Energy (DOE), EPA, and DOI needing Senate confirmation, 25 had polluting industry ties, such as oil, gas, and mining. The report highlighted Cabinet members, including Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, alongside nominees like Audrey Robertson, a former fracking executive for the DOE’s efficiency and renewable energy office.
“The officials running Trump’s administration have swiftly enacted favors for allies in the fossil fuel and mining industries,” said report authors Alan Zibel and Toni Aguilar Rosenthal. “They’ve also initiated attacks on industries Trump disfavors, including renewable energy.”
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly stated that “President Trump was elected to promote America’s energy potential.”
The influence of the fossil fuel industry in Trump’s administration and his ideological leanings toward fossil fuels are evident. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act notably increased oil and gas lease sales while accelerating the phaseout of wind and solar tax credits.
Mike Sommers, president of the American Petroleum Institute, told CNBC that the bill “includes almost all of our priorities.”
The EPA extended deadlines for the oil and gas industry to limit methane emissions, as confirmed by industry sources to Inside Climate News.
The administration’s plan to rescind the EPA’s endangerment finding for greenhouse gases threatens the agency’s ability to regulate emissions.
The oil and gas sector spent over $70 million lobbying the government in the first half of 2025, below its 2024 spending pace, hinting at reduced lobbying needs for key policy wins.
Chris Wright, the energy secretary, founded Liberty Energy, a fracking firm. Under his leadership, the DOE released a controversial report minimizing greenhouse gas impacts.
Wright argued in The Economist that climate change is a by-product of progress, not an existential crisis. He emphasized natural gas’s role in reducing U.S. greenhouse emissions compared to coal.
Research suggests natural gas may not be significantly cleaner than coal due to methane leaks, according to MIT professor Desirée Plata. Meanwhile, the Trump administration aims to increase coal use.
Audrey Robertson, a nominee for the DOE, is linked to Wright’s company and awaits Senate confirmation. Her nomination faced criticism due to her lack of renewable energy experience.
The report also highlights Aaron Szabo of the EPA, who worked to repeal air quality rules. The EPA confirmed his past fossil fuel clients but asserted he adheres to ethics obligations.
Ben Kochman, a former pipeline industry group director, now serves as deputy administrator at the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
The administration’s appointments align closely with industry interests, raising questions about regulatory independence, according to Bill Caram of the Pipeline Safety Trust.
The report underscores the influence of right-wing think tanks like the Texas Public Policy Foundation, funded by oil billionaire Tim Dunn. This organization, known for disputing climate science, sued over the Vineyard Wind project.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation declined to comment.
Original Story at insideclimatenews.org