‘Big flashbacks’: Trump veterans return to DOE

By Hannah Northey, Christa Marshall, Brian Dabbs | 01/22/2025 02:02 PM EST

Officials who served during the first Trump administration are returning to the Department of Energy.

Alex Fitzsimmons and Steven Winberg

Alex Fitzsimmons and Steven Winberg Francis Chung/POLITICO, Linkedin, DOE

Former Trump officials are returning to the Department of Energy, including the head of an industry group that focused on finding alternative lifelines for coal, according to people inside and close to the transition and DOE’s internal registry.

Steve Winberg, who served during Trump’s first term, is now listed in DOE’s internal registry as “principal deputy assistant” and has made rounds at the department in recent days, according to federal staffers granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

“Big flashbacks,” said one staffer, referring to the return of former Trump officials.

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Three people familiar with the department’s decisionmaking said Winberg is returning to take on an influential role at DOE, and one person said Winberg is poised to serve in an acting position at his former agency job. Winberg served as assistant secretary for fossil energy at DOE during Trump’s first stint in office, from November 2017 to January 2021.

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