Kelsey Brugger covers politics, the White House and the Energy Department. She joined E&E News in 2018 after working as a reporter in California, where she covered offshore oil, immigration, cannabis and politics for the Santa Barbara Independent. Her work has also appeared in Scientific American and Coastlines. She obtained a bachelor's degree in history from University of California, Santa Barbara.
Energy Secretary Rick Perry is traveling the world this week, making stops in Belgium and Saudi Arabia as he wraps up his tenure at the Department of Energy and as Congress investigates his connections to Ukrainian energy officials.
President Trump tweeted this afternoon that he would nominate Deputy Secretary Dan Brouillette to replace outgoing Energy Secretary Rick Perry.
President Trump praised outgoing Energy Secretary Rick Perry last night at a campaign rally in Texas — hours after the state's former governor handed the president his resignation letter on Air Force One.
Energy Secretary Rick Perry and his department have been in close contact with several figures who are named in the House Democrats' impeachment inquiry into President Trump, according to records obtained by E&E News.
Energy Secretary Rick Perry delivered President Trump a letter this afternoon on Air Force One saying he intends to resign, a White House official confirmed to E&E News.