Trump eyes Democrat for high-ranking role in energy sector
Donald Trump, President of the US (photo: Getty Images)
Donald Trump plans to appoint Democrat David Rosner, a member of Biden’s team, as chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, reports Bloomberg.
According to a senior White House official speaking on condition of anonymity, this move would place a Democrat at the helm of an agency that plays a key role in Trump’s plans to promote American oil, gas, and coal.
Rosner is expected to replace Republican Mark Christie, who recently stepped down from the position.
David Rosner previously served as an aide to Senator Joe Manchin during Biden’s tenure - a lawmaker known for actively defending the coal and gas industries in Congress. According to the source, the new chairman generally supports the current president’s energy priorities.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has long been a political battleground: during Trump’s first term, his appointees tried, but failed, to push policies favoring gas and coal generation.
The situation is now further complicated by the growing demand for cheap energy, driven in part by the boom in data centers and the development of artificial intelligence. Last month, the annual electricity auction of the largest US power grid broke records, reaching $16.1 billion.
Trump recently fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics over what he called anti-Republican figures.
