President Donald Trump said Friday he would nominate Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette to replace Rick Perry as head of the Department of Energy.
Brouillette has been Perry’s deputy secretary for just over two years. When Trump first nominated him, a source said the longtime insurance lobbyist — Brouillette spent more than a decade leading Washington operations for the United Services Automobile Association of San Antonio, Texas — had been hand-picked by Perry to serve as the DOE No. 2.
Perry, who has been secretary of energy for more than two-and-a-half years, announced last week he will retire before the end of the year.
On Twitter, Trump said the former Texas governor has been “a great Secretary of Energy.”
….He is also my friend! At the same time, I am pleased to nominate Deputy Secretary Dan Brouillette to be the new Secretary of Energy. Dan’s experience in the sector is unparalleled. A total professional, I have no doubt that Dan will do a great job!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2019
Brouillette has spent much of his career in industry, where he arrived after about four years in government service, where he focused heavily on Congress. In 2004, Brouillette left his position as staff director for the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which sets policy for most branches of the Energy Department, but not the semiautonomous National Nuclear Security Administration.
From 2001 to 2003, Brouillette was assistant secretary for congressional and intergovernmental affairs in the George W. Bush administration’s Department of Energy, serving as the agency’s principal liaison to other parts of the executive branch and Congress.
Trump had yet to make his intent to nominate Brouillette official, at deadline Monday for Weapons Complex Morning Briefing. The White House ordinarily posts such announcements on its website.
