Why It Matters
Energy Secretary Chris Wright’s remarks add momentum to the Trump administration’s effort to reverse what officials describe as years of costly and destabilizing federal energy policy. Wright argued that decisions made under former President Joe Biden left the nation’s energy infrastructure weakened and exposed American consumers to higher electricity and fuel prices.
The comments underscore a sharp philosophical divide over the role of government subsidies in shaping the national energy mix — a debate with direct consequences for household energy costs, grid reliability, and long-term energy independence.
What Happened
Energy Secretary Chris Wright appeared alongside his wife, Liz, on The Katie Miller Podcast on Tuesday, April 7, where he delivered a sweeping critique of the Biden administration’s energy record. Wright accused the former administration of deliberately steering U.S. energy policy away from reliable sources through massive government spending on intermittent alternatives like solar power.
“The Biden administration literally wanted to drive our energy system into the ditch,” Wright said during the interview. “We, fortunately, pivoted before too much deep damage. But we’ve wasted trillions of dollars.”
Wright also criticized the decision by the Biden administration to draw down the Strategic Petroleum Reserve ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, which he characterized as a politically motivated move that weakened a critical national security asset. He praised the Trump administration’s ongoing effort to replenish the reserve.
By the Numbers
- Trillions of dollars — the figure Wright cited as wasted on unreliable energy subsidies under the Biden administration
- 1.2% — the share of global energy that solar power represents, according to Wright, who argued its elimination “would not even be a hiccup” for the United States
- 10% — the share of global oil production whose loss Wright described as constituting a “massive crisis,” contrasting it with solar’s minimal contribution
- End of 2027 — the projected timeline by which Wright said the Strategic Petroleum Reserve will hold more oil than when President Trump took office
- $1 billion — federal backing secured for the reopening of Three Mile Island nuclear plant, cited as an example of the administration’s push toward reliable baseload power
Zoom Out
Wright’s remarks reflect a broader shift in federal energy policy since President Trump’s inauguration in January 2025. The administration has prioritized energy production from reliable sources — including oil, natural gas, coal, and nuclear — while pulling back from the subsidy-heavy approach that defined the Biden years.
The Trump administration has taken several concrete steps in this direction, including directing coal plants to remain operational, a move that officials argue is necessary for grid stability even as critics raise cost concerns. At the same time, the administration has moved to unwind offshore wind commitments, including paying a French company $1 billion to relinquish U.S. offshore wind leases.
Wright, who noted he has personally worked in the solar industry, was careful to say he is “pro-solar” in principle — but firmly opposed to government subsidies that he argues distort energy markets and drive up costs for American consumers and businesses.
Nuclear power emerged as a central theme in Wright’s vision for the future. He argued that nuclear energy has been “unfairly maligned” by climate activists and the broader environmental movement, which he accused of operating as a “fear-selling industry” that exaggerates risks to raise political donations and influence policy.
“It’s so much easier to sell fear than to sell reassurance,” Wright said. “The environmental industry really has become sort of a fear-selling industry.”
What’s Next
The Trump administration is expected to continue rolling back Biden-era energy regulations and redirecting federal policy toward what officials describe as an “all of the above” strategy centered on reliable, affordable power. Wright previously stated that replenishing the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to levels exceeding those at the start of Trump’s first term remains a near-term priority, with a target completion date at the end of next year.
Further regulatory action affecting Alaska’s energy sector — which Wright has said was subject to more restrictions under Biden than nations like Iran, Venezuela, and North Korea combined — is also anticipated as the administration moves to open additional federal lands and waters to oil and gas development.